![]() The faux-pas concept encapsulates the local-foreigner experience well, not only in France but all over the world. It has been adopted into the English language since the 16th century and other French words such as bon appétit, rendez-vous, and déjà vu. The word faux-pas translates to ‘false-step.’ Literally, it means to blunder or to make a mistake but with regards to a particular set of cultural norms. It made me feel like Parisians were quite snobby, or was it a more widespread cultural phenomenon. Initially, my first impression of France and French culture was in Paris, and it was mixed some people were helpful, while others just ignored me. This blog post was influenced by a conversation about French culture and first impressions as a visitor. You can even say it in english, it is really magic.During this quarantine, I’ve had the opportunity to learn more about French culture and the proper protocols to follow in various social situations and the infamous faux-pas. However the problem is quickly resolved when you say the magic words: "You are not getting any tip if you continue like this" or "maybe I should be speaking to your supervisor?" Which is ridiculous, when you think that most are villagers from the borders and their accent is attrocious. Unfortunately smoking is still a problem: people smoke everywhere they think they might get away with it: in the stations, in cinema foyers and in trains when there is no ticket inspector (regional trains).Īgain unfortunately, there are many french people working here, that look at you down their nose when you dare to speak to speak anything else except of what they think are correct and elegant french. I know that I always shout my most stupid comments :-) This went on for about 1.5 hours and come to think of it: it can be very entertaining. ice? It is a cart for crying out loud -)! ) (he is french speaking with a smuttering of german, shouting at him louder and louder will not teach him english in a second and. you know SPARKLY? S-P-A-R-K-L-Y? oh never mind, do you have any ice? ICE? you know ICE, I-C-E? we would like an apple juice, is it sparkly?. (they are sockets for electricity, you are in switzerland, things are different here). It could be sockets for electricity, but there are three holes, i don't know. Mommy Mommy, look at the little holes on the wall, what are they? (Nobody, there are only three in this section, there are another 5-6 first class wagons, if you would bother to walk a bit) Dear me, how odd, there are only 3 first class compartments and they are so tiny!!!! who would imagine that In switzerland! There was a family yesterday in the train, commenting very loud in a pseudo-english accent: But this goes for everybody, not only americans. ![]() I guess the biggest faux-pas, is to shout your comments for the world to hear. If you remember that our topography is very rugged and that we have lots of isolated valleys, this is understandable!! To add to this inguistic patchwork the Swiss German differs quite a bit between cantons and sometimes within cantons. Swiss German is hard to understand, even for German speaking people from Germany! But it is a lovely language and makes one really feel at home. They speak both High German which they speak in school and Swiss German which is known as "dialect" at home, often at work and among friends. For the rest of the cantons, they are German speaking. But I would say all the people in the Girsons speak German as well. Only about 4000 people speak it as a mother tongue. The Grisons or Graubunden, depending on which language you use, is Romansch speaking and there are 4 main dialects of this old language. Generally speaking the cantons of south western Switzerland speak French ( Geneva, Vaud, Neuchâtel, Fribourg, Jura) The southern canton of the Valais is half French speaking and half German (as for that matter, is Fribourg).
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