I wish I could thank my French teacher.

[Scruffydog777]

As most of you know, I'm no spring chicken. Back in junior high school, we were required to take a foreign language. I chose French. As my life experiences played out, I probably should've chose Spanish. Definitely met a lot more Spanish speaking people in my life time than I did French. At the time, I hated the thought of having to take any language classes, other than English. Thought it was a waste. So in my French classes, I didn't study, didnt't apply myself, and as a result I flunked the first 2 terms of a 5 term long year. If you flunk a third, you either have to go to summer school or repeat. I was no A student back then, but I never came this close to flunking a subject before. I was pretty good at subjects like math and physics and history, subjects which interested me, but had some problems in English, mainly because of what seemed to be personality conflicts with the teachers in that subject, but I still did okay.

Well the third term of that year came around and once again I didn't apply myself. It came down to the last test of the term and all I needed was a 35. Didn't study one bit and wound up with a 30. OMG! Summer school or repeating, here I come. My French teacher called me aside one day and said if I promised to apply myself, he'd give me a passing grade. I made that promise and I kept it. I studied my ass off. Did very well in the last 2 terms and was very disappointed at the end of the last term when the final test was cancelled because it cost me a chance to bring my grade up some more.

Well in the last year, I had the same teacher for French. Still being extremely grateful for what he did, I studied my ass off . I did very well that year, but never really went back to thank him for what he had done for me. I think from my grades though, he knew he had done well.

Then I found out about Alizée. I think there's a lot of enjoyment, I got out of watching her videos, that I wouldn't have gotten if I hadn't applied myself so well back then. I know so many people that seem to enjoy her voice and the sound of the music but can't really appreciate the true beauty of her music, because they don't understand a word of French. Well I do, and I've learned 12 of her songs now and hope to learn more and I owe it all to him. He had gray hair back then and I'm sure he's no longer around. But if there's an afterlife, I'm sure he knows he did well.

[User22]

Yah, I also wish I can go back and say thank you to all my teachers when I was so ungrateful for what they are doing. But, since I am taking spanish 4 at the moment, I really dont know much french. But it is really cool when I try to sing her songs how she uses french words very similar to spanish words. And its funny how some of her songs like 50/60 use so much french words that sound exactly like, and are spelled exactly like english and spanish words (she just uses a french accent haha). I love how i can somewhat understand her songs. But when I'm older I will definetely do like a French Rosetta Stone program or something

[Criss_pl]

Since English is my second language or "first foreign" like I often say, I have some other point of view. In Poland children learn it from the age of 7/8, and this is the main foreign language. Later, about 13/14 they often (from this year second foreign language in Gymnasium (second degree school) is obligatory) start another language and this is mainly German (over 95% of students, I think), I was also learning German, and I can say that I have a basic knowledge of it. Later I dropped German and started learning French in "Liceum", I'm taking an intensive cours (more hours than in average school).
And I wish I could thank my French teacher. I think that I know French pretty good, as I can understand most of written French, but spoken is still a difficulty for me

[User22]

Originally Posted by Criss_pl

Since English is my second language or "first foreign" like I often say, I have some other point of view. In Poland children learn it from the age of 7/8, and this is the main foreign language. Later, about 13/14 they often (from this year second foreign language in Gymnasium (second degree school) is obligatory) start another language and this is mainly German (over 95% of students, I think), I was also learning German, and I can say that I have a basic knowledge of it. Later I dropped German and started learning French in "Liceum", I'm taking an intensive cours (more hours than in average school).
And I wish I could thank my French teacher. I think that I know French pretty good, as I can understand most of written French, but spoken is still a difficulty for me

Yah, for me spanish is easy to understand written, but hard to understand when spoken, especially since spanish speakers talk 1000wpm(words per minute). But Criss, kudos to you for learning english, because you are great at it! I couldn't imagine having to earn English if i didn't natively speak it, cuz i heard it makes no sense to people haha. But I just wish there was a universal language and currency so everything woul be so much easier, but that is millenia away

[Ronald]

Well, you're lucky that English is some sort of main world language. We "non" english people have to learn it, because you just can do without in foreign countries. I'm so glad I've done exams in French, but for some reason you forget most of it after a decade

So currently I'm busy learning French again with self-study. I can read French a bit, but please can they speak a little slower, I can't keep up

[User22]

Originally Posted by Ronald

Well, you're lucky that English is some sort of main world language. We "non" english people have to learn it, because you just can do without in foreign countries. I'm so glad I've done exams in French, but for some reason you forget most of it after a decade

So currently I'm busy learning French again with self-study. I can read French a bit, but please can they speak a little slower, I can't keep up

Man you don't even know what speaking fast is. Check out a video on youtube of a Mexican speaking spanish haha. Their words dont sound a bit like they look on paper, and they skip whole words alot. haha (no racism intended)

[Chuck]

Salut à tu, Scruffydog! I gotta so agree. Just don't go on so about being "age-enhanced" , cause you're not the only one!

Like with your story, we were also required to start taking French at an early age. In my school district, I was in the very last year they started it in third grade. After us, they changed it to seventh, but for my class year, they still gave us 4th, 5th, and 6th grade French lessons, too (and god bless em!).

So I have to thank Mr. Lindvahl, Miss Zak, Mrs. Woods, Mrs. Gregory, Mrs. Redeker, Ms. Haskins, and at least two others whose names I remember as well as I remember how to conjugate the conditional-future-anterior tense of "devoir".

If any of those folks are reading this - THANK YOU!!!!

If Ms. Haskins is reading this: NOW will you marry me?


My only complaint is this: an American taking ten years of French lessons is akin to taking ten years of bassoon lessons. After high school, sure it helped on college applications, but there was very little real-world use for it. So in college I switched to German. Does that prove I'm brilliant? No, quite the opposite! In the US, there isn't much need for knowing German either.

btw, I'm also really good at origami.


But did I ever wish I hadn't learned French? No. Never. I love it. Besides, I can usually figure out Italian, Spanish, Portuguese and Latin now, if it's written down.


I also learned to be an expert draftsman - mechanical and architectural - back when it was just pencils, straightedges, and vellum. Same story: fat lotta good that does me now!


But you know what? I've said it before - it's like Alizée's brought something back to life in me. And it's like, spreading! Now, one of my daughters is learning French. And some French people moved in down the block last year, with kids the same age as ours-- our families already are pretty good friends! But the best thing is that Mrs. Chuck put up a special "savings jar" where we're putting all our loose change for going to France! All this within the last six months! All this since discovering Alizée. Talk about something bringing good luck!

So maybe I can't thank those French teachers (or marry Miss Haskins). But I can try to send a thank-you note to Lilly.

So that's where I'm coming from. And Scruffy, thank you too, for starting this thread! Rock on. Merci.