Carmody's Log for French

[MorkTheFiddle]

Not to worry...

Just curious if you could you fill me in on the Oxford Hachette dictionary that you have?

There seem to be quite a few of them and I am not clear which one it is that you have..

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=oxford+hachette+french+dictionary&i=stripbooks&crid=3OBMZ1AQ9VEUW&sprefix=Oxford+Hachette%2C%2Caps%2C154&ref=nb_sb_ss_i_1_16

My Collins is too bulky for everyday look ups.

You referred to the types of books that I read and I thank you for checking up to see the titles. To my way of looking at it, they are all middle of the road standard French literature titles. Nothing technical or too historically anachronistic by way of time period.

Oh well.......

The Oxford Hachette you reference on Amazon is indeed what I have. Mine is the 4th edition published 2007. It is my dictionary of last resort before I go to the monolinguals. Your apt word "bully" fits it as well.

[Carmody]

There are several different Oxford Hachette books listed. Can you tell me which one specifically it is that you own?

[MorkTheFiddle]

There are several different Oxford Hachette books listed. Can you tell me which one specifically it is that you own?

Sure. The full name of the dictionary is Oxford Hachette French Dictionary (though in fact it is a French-English English-French dictionary). The ISBN is probably the best way to pin it down: 978-0-19-861422-7. The CD that comes with the volume is titled simply Speak French. I have no idea what is on the CD.

Still not sure I've told you what you wanted to know.

Only rarely is the Oxford Hachette book of use to me. What get used most, I think, is the Oxford Hachette on my Kindle. When that fails me, my first recourse is the paperback Merriam-Webster's French-English Dictionary Dictionnaire Anglais-Français, which claims to have 80,000 words and phrases and 100,000 translations. It's just a paperpack with 804 pages, and it's my dictionary of choice after Kindle only because it's small and light.
Next in line is a Webster's New World Concise French Dictionary (but in fact French-English English-French) maybe 9x6x2", printed 2004, falling apart after I deliberately tore the French-English part away from the English-French part for convenience of use; I almost never use the English-French part). It claims to have 115,000 "references" and 160,000 tranlations. Each language section has about 575 pages.
There also a couple of apps on my iPod: a bilingual Collins Le Robert, a monolingual Dixel Robert Mobile and a monolingual Larousse. Once in a great while I refer to one of these waiting for my coffee.

[Carmody]

Still not sure I've told you what you wanted to know.

Yes, thank you very much for your detailed answer; it is greatly appreciated.

[Carmody]

I am neither a Catholic nor "Christian" so to speak, so what follows is in no way an attempt to proselytize, however, in my endless search for French Resources I have come across a source I find very useful. It is the documentaries of French monastic life. They are slow, clearly spoken, and seem an excellent source for me.

The following are but two examples:
Les Chartreux "Au delà du silence"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=90w_LQg0Kik

Les moines de l'abbaye de Lérins
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1g49TwxKxuo

With hopes this is of use to someone.........

[badger]

thanks Carmody, these look interesting. I'm not religious in the slightest, but I do find monastic life intriguing.

if you haven't seen it, you might like the film "Des hommes et des dieux", with the rather wonderful Michael Lonsdale (who also plays the Abbott in "Le Nom de la rose").

[Carmody]

I use many different resources for my oral input.

The following YouTube video of a farmer losing his farm is something I frequently study. It depicts not only what is happening to farmers in France but also throughout America.

Ferme à Vendre ! La ruine d'un Agriculteur... 1,153,671 views

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Me_MybqyPWs

The fact that it has over 1,153,671 views suggests that it speaks to many different people at different levels.

I certainly came away viewing the farmer with great respect and more.

[MorkTheFiddle]

My paternal grandfather farmed all his life, and his father, and his, and probably so on all the way back to the old country. He had five children, not one of them wanted to follow in his footsteps. Dairy farmers work very long hours, get no days off and no vacations. That farm was my summer job from age 12 through age 18. I have never missed it.
Yet the allure is certainly there for many farmers, and the loss of anyone's way of life can only be sad.

[Carmody]

MorkTheFiddle

My upbringing was very similar to yours; thanks for sharing.

[PeterMollenburg]

I use many different resources for my oral input.

The following YouTube video of a farmer losing his farm is something I frequently study. It depicts not only what is happening to farmers in France but also throughout America.

Ferme à Vendre ! La ruine d'un Agriculteur... 1,153,671 views

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Me_MybqyPWs

The fact that it has over 1,153,671 views suggests that it speaks to many different people at different levels.

I certainly came away viewing the farmer with great respect and more.

Yep, and it's not unique to North America and Europe, unfortunately. Farmers here (Australia) are having a very hard time and have had for a long time. I'm certain this is just yet another push towards big control in the form of big agricultural companies. Push out all the little people, have the planet run by multi-national corps, I'm certain it's the plan. If government cared, really, for the little people, they'd be doing much more about it.

I hope your French studies are coming along well, Carmody!