interesting things you have learned about the culture of the people of the language you are studying

[Granrey]

I'm currently studing French. As part of my studies I'm reading lots of french self teaching books.


Some of the stuff I'm learning about the culture:

- Eating animal brains: In one of my books while in a chapter about food, I noticed the french eat some animals brains.

-Horse meat: Similar as above in another book I found they eat horse meat as well with dedicated shops.

Bread: They have two types of bakeries. One that sells fresh bread and other ones that does not.

Tabacco related product Stores


Ham related products Stores.

numbers from 70 to 100

In french quebecois, they call blonds to girlfriends.

One that I'm not sure yet but it seems the second floor is call first floor, the second is third and so on. The main floor (or what we call first) has its own name.

Teach also means learning.

What interesting things have you learned?

[Cainntear]

One that I'm not sure yet but it seems the second floor is call first floor, the second is third and so on. The main floor (or what we call first) has its own name.

I'm assuming you're from somewhere west of the Atlantic then. In UK, like France, you have to go up a flight of stairs to reach the first floor/première étage. In fact, the internet suggests you're probably from a Spanish-speaking US community, because it says that Latin American countries count floors the same as in Spain: plant abajo (ground floor/rez de chaussée), primer piso (first floor/première étage) etc.

The logic of the European system is that you traditionally would be standing on the actual ground when you entered a building, and you wouldn't be standing on a wooden platform until you were up one at least one flight of stairs...

[iguanamon]

The United States is multi-cultural, even amongst the first early European settlers, who ranged from British, Dutch, Swedish, German, French, and Spanish... in addition to the indigenous native-American population. All of these groups had differing foods and customs, as can be imagined- many still do.

There are great regional differences within the US and Canada as well, all with their own distinct accents and cultures, even languages.

It is difficult to generalize about a language and the cultures within it. France has a large North African and sub-Saharan African population, along with Caribbean, and pan-European immigrants, a large Jewish population, also the Corsican, Alsatian and Breton cultures differ from the stereotypical French culture- whatever that may be.

The Spanish-speaking world is very diverse. Ranging from the diversity within Spain itself, to Equatorial Guinea, Argentina, Mexico and the Spanish-speaking Caribbean. I once had a friend who called me up expressing reticence about going to Puerto Rico during "Cinco de Mayo" which is a Mexican holiday, almost more of a Mexican-American holiday nowadays. I laughed and told her that it would just be a day like any other in Puerto Rico since there is not a large Mexican-American population there. It's only been recently that I quit carrying my own hot sauce with me when I would visit over there. They now have a good selection available. Some mainland Americans think all Latin American cuisine is hot and spicy because of Mexican influence. Ironically, the best selling and most frequently encountered hot sauce in Spain is American- Tabasco.

So, you can't really generalize about a language and its culture(s). Travel and learn.