FRENCH WORD-A-DAY

jamais deux sans trois

 
                                      Je (coeur) les cabanons, et vous?

In Books: I'll Never Be French (no matter what I do): Living in a Small Village in Brittany

Jamais deux sans trois (zhah-may-deuh-sahn-twah) expression

    : never two (catastrophes) without three

A Day in a French Life...by Kristin Espinasse

The French have a saying in regards to bad luck: jamais deux sans trois ("never two without three"). Leave it up to me to test this numbers theory...

And so Tuesday began with a flat tire and, by Wednesday, my book manuscript had disappeared... into the mishap mire! What could possibly happen next?

(À propos "never two without three"—et quatre et cinq et six!—we'll talk about those disasters vendredi.)

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Salon de Talk Talk

Because comments are the best part of French Word-A-Day, we are assigning them (that is you!) their own column. Welcome to Salon de Talk Talk. Nothing literary here... just us (we?) language and life lovers chatting by the fireside (or poolside, depending on the weather, chez vous). Won't you join us now to continue this conversation in the comments box? Here we can discuss the word of the day, talk about the story, ask & answer each others questions about France and French life, or simply share what is on our France-friendly mind!

 

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French Vocabulary & Audio File
note: the audio file feature will return on Friday...

Je (coeur) les cabanons, et vous? = I (heart) cabanons, and you?; à propos = in regards to; et quatre et cinq et six = and four and five and six; le vendredi (m) = Friday; chez vous = in your area

 
 "Lucy Je T'Aime" Lucy I Love You. Comment on this photo.

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insolite

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Today's Word from French Word of the Day: the blog and FREE emailed newsletter :

insolite (ahn-so-leet) adjective

    : unusual, out of the ordinary

Insolite is also a noun, as in "aimer l'insolite" (to like the unusual).

A Day in a French Life...
by Kristin Espinasse

"Heaven Bent"

What attracts my eye, in photography, is that which tickles the mind to see: the unusual, the whimsical, the eccentric and extravagant... 

...you might even say "all things heaven bent"...

I enjoy that which is "quirky" though I do not fancy the word "quirk" (perhaps because it rhymes with jerk and smirk and, especially, beurk! and, come to think of it, homework).

I like the wonder that whimsy causes—
as it stops us in our tracks... catches our eyes and draws us.

 

A sack of patates hanging in a window sill
some leeks, and oranges, and daffodils.
Just like that my havocked heart hushes, 
and in new-found calm I walk on.

My soul no longer scattered
in an uruly tent
I have the chance to fasten my eye
upon all things heaven bent.

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De Bouche à Oreille
Please share this story with a friend who loves photos, cats, France... Forward this edition or send along the link to French Word-A-Day. Also: thank you for sharing your comments.

 

French Vocabulary and Audio File: listen to Jean-Marc pronounce these French words: Download MP3 or WAV

J'aime les fenêtres insolites: les sujets inattendus comme les chats et les croix pendues.
I love unusual windows: with unexpected subjects like cats and hanging crosses.

insolite = out of the ordinary
beurk! = yuck!
une patate (f) = potato, spud
de bouche à oreille = by word of mouth



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Fleurs de Lavande: A petite version of our fragrant Provencal sachets. Filled with tiny lavender flowers, these sachets add a lovely fragrance to any drawer. Order here.