No, obviously not completely. But I can tell that my fluency in French is drastically improving. Firstly, I've nearly completely stopped translating conversations into English. If in a conversation, I hear a word or two I'm unfamiliar with, then of course I'll try to figure out the meaning of the word based on context. But one day, for example, on our way to lunch, a few colleagues and I were discussing the upcoming wedding of a woman I work with and she was telling us about her bridesmaid. Then, someone wanted to know the English word for it, and I completely blanked! I had to tell them to come back to me, and that I'd remember what it was called later; sure enough I remembered the word about ten minutes later, but not without quite a bit of laughter from my French colleagues, who couldn't understand how the American intern couldn't remember a simple word in English!
Secondly, there are certain French words and phrases that, now that I know what they mean and how to use them appropriately in context, just don't require translating into English. In fact, with these particular words and phrases, they seem so natural to me at this point that I can't remember a time not knowing what they mean, and I certainly couldn't tell you if or when I learned them in a classroom. It's phrases and words like "incitations", "il s'agit de...", "il faut que...", and "dérouler" that really stump me when I try to come up with an explanation for their meaning. Words like that have started to come naturally to me, popping up in my own vocabulary when I need them, then quietly slipping out of sight again, unquestioned.
So you can imagine, my job, which frequently requires me to translate documents from French to English for the organization's website and for speeches at international colloquiums, can make me want to pull my hair out sometimes. When I'm speaking in English and only in English, not switching back and forth rapidly between the two, English is no problem. But right now it's as if my brain has a language on/off switch. If I get started speaking, listening to, or reading in French, my English goes right out the window.
A few weeks ago, I was with my friends in the metro, on my way to the Musée Rodin, when a guy stopped me and asked for directions in English. I quickly replied in what I thought was English, then didn't understand when he kept staring at me, giving me a weird look...turns out I'd unintentionally replied in French. Whoops, wrong language!
On another note, this past weekend I went to the Salon du Livre, an international symposium about books! It was at the Parc des Expositions site at Porte de Versailles in Paris. It's an event that's held annually, and brings together booksellers, authors promoting their books and available to talk about them and sign them, book lovers from all over the world, and of course, students, for whom entry is free! I love perks like that.
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| Salon du Livre |
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| Best hammock ever. I must have one in my future home. |
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| Congolese literature! I wasn't kidding when I said authors come there from around the world. |
And while I'm at it, FUN FACT: This building, called "Le Projet Triangle" is being constructed at the Parc des Expositions and is estimated to be completed by 2014.
Apparently, "The environmental approach of the project [...] limits its ground impact and allows the optimum utilisation of solar and wind power due to its excellent positioning." Check out more pictures & info here: http://www.dezeen.com/2008/09/29/le-projet-triangle-by-herzog-de-meuron/
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