Ask Salix Anything

[SalixIncendium]

Oh poop, i was just joining to ask you if you'd clean our cars, the twins thing is particularly mucky despite repeated requests from me and hubby.

I would of course pay a modest amount for your time ;-)

Well...I have wanted to see France since my French classes in high school...

...unless you planned on bringing it here.​

​

Full disclosure, I would have to put my tag from my on the car temporarily to take it by the local wash if you brought it here, because I no longer have any cleaning equipment.

 

[ChristineM]

Well...I have wanted to see France since my French classes in high school...

...unless you planned on bringing it here.​

​

Full disclosure, I would have to put my tag from my on the car temporarily to take it by the local wash if you brought it here, because I no longer have any cleaning equipment.

Ah well, never mind, I'll just have to ask our ex legionnaire / odd job man.

But im sure France would welcome you anyway

 

[Secret Chief]

But im sure France would welcome you anyway

I thought the French were big into sartorial elegance?

 

[ChristineM]

I thought the French were big into sartorial elegance?

You have been misinformed.

Examples...

This morning i saw a man, perhaps a farmer, perhaps just a scruffy guy taking his pet truffle pig for a walk.

A couple of weeks ago, late morning, while driving home from Perigueux along the mountain road and miles from anywhere were a lady walking along wearing an evening dress and high heels accompanied by a man wearing a towel.
The lady looked elegant..

 

[SalixIncendium]

Ah well, never mind, I'll just have to ask our ex legionnaire / odd job man.

But im sure France would welcome you anyway

Actually, I heard they're not exactly keen on American tourists. And my French is extremely rusty given I haven't used it in nearly 40 years, and I often accidentally mix Spanish words in since my fluency in Spanish has surpassed my fluency in French.

 

[SalixIncendium]

I thought the French were big into sartorial elegance?

Hey, my wardrobe is the epitome of sartorial elegance!

 

[Secret Chief]

Hey, my wardrobe is the epitome of sartorial elegance!

Serious typo

 

[ChristineM]

Actually, I heard they're not exactly keen on American tourists. And my French is extremely rusty given I haven't used it in nearly 40 years, and I often accidentally mix Spanish words in since my fluency in Spanish has surpassed my fluency in French.

Anyone who is spending money and, at least, tries to speak some French along with hand signals and semaphore does ok. It's the arrogant ones who repeated resort to shouting in their own language that get the run around until they walk away muttered loudly " wht can't these froggies speak English"

They often can but don't until asked, what often works is ...

Pardon, mon français est très mauvais, parles-tu anglais?

Meaning

Pardon, my French is very poor, do you speak English?

Many french people have better English than English speakers have french.

 

[SalixIncendium]

They often can but don't until asked, what often works is ...

Pardon, mon français est très mauvais, parles-tu anglais?

Is this considered acceptable to a stranger, though? I was taught with strangers, a more formal "parlez-vous anglais?" should be used.

 

[ChristineM]

Is this considered acceptable to a stranger, though? I was taught with strangers, a more formal "parlez-vous anglais?" should be used.

Maybe post WW2 formality was expected.
Now it depends on the situation. Explaining your predicament (if only briefly) sets a more friendly tone.

 

[Revoltingest]

What isn't recognized probably isn't worth mentioning.

What is it you would like me to do for you?

I hadn't given that any thought til now.
Perhaps reduce the dues I pay RF?
Roll back the increase that @Quagmire imposed on me.

And I'm not taking any more requests to clean out cars.

Ugh...a task that I too find tedious.

 

[Secret Chief]

Maybe post WW2 formality was expected.
Now it depends on the situation. Explaining your predicament (if only briefly) sets a more friendly tone.

Here's a little anecdote from a former acquaintance who spoke fluent French, Italian and German. He was in Paris looking for the Metro. He asked a French guy, in French "Excuse me, can you tell me where the entrance to the Metro is?" The Frenchman apparently didn't understand. My colleague tried several times, seemingly to no avail. Finally, the Frenchman understood - " Aah, Le Metroogghghghghghg.." said with a ridiculous amount of gutteral ghghghghgggh, to show that this had been the communication "problem" and pointed which way to go. He was basically being an ****hole. So then my colleague asked him, in Italian - "Do you understand Italian?" The French looked bemused, shrugged and shook his head. To which my colleague responded, in perfect Italian, "Andate a funcolo allora" and headed off to the Metroogghghghghghg.

 

[ChristineM]

Here's a little anecdote from a former acquaintance who spoke fluent French, Italian and German. He was in Paris looking for the Metro. He asked a French guy, in French "Excuse me, can you tell me where the entrance to the Metro is?" The Frenchman apparently didn't understand. My colleague tried several times, seemingly to no avail. Finally, the Frenchman understood - " Aah, Le Metroogghghghghghg.." said with a ridiculous amount of gutteral ghghghghgggh, to show that this had been the communication "problem" and pointed which way to go. He was basically being an ****hole. So then my colleague asked him, in Italian - "Do you understand Italian?" The French looked bemused, shrugged and shook his head. To which my colleague responded, in perfect Italian, "Andate a funcolo allora" and headed off to the Metroogghghghghghg.

Speaking through the nose while gargling is done mostly by old timers.

 

[Revoltingest]

@SalixIncendium....
An anagram of your moniker is
"Linen is a cud mix"
What do you mean by this?

 

[Evangelicalhumanist]

@SalixIncendium....
An anagram of your moniker is
"Linen is a cud mix"
What do you mean by this?

Nonsense! It's clearly an anagram of "alien nudism XCI." Which obviously refers to something Salix would rather not talk about that happend 1991.

 

[Secret Chief]

Nonsense! It's clearly an anagram of "alien nudism XCI." Which obviously refers to something Salix would rather not talk about that happend 1991.

There's still photos of it on the dark web.

 

[SalixIncendium]

@SalixIncendium....
An anagram of your moniker is
"Linen is a cud mix"
What do you mean by this?

Linen is a blend of flax plants. I've found that in place of grazing, cows can actually chew on linen to produce saliva needed to control rumen acidity.

Since cows are sacred in Hinduism, I found it only appropriate to go by the handle "LinenIsACudMix." However, too many people misread the name and confused me with a Peanuts character, calling me Linus, so I chose to rearrange the letters.

I mean, Salix does have a better ring to it than Linus, doesn't it?

 

[SalixIncendium]

Nonsense! It's clearly an anagram of "alien nudism XCI." Which obviously refers to something Salix would rather not talk about that happend 1991.

I remember none if it, except the parts I remember, which I will deny, deny, deny.

 

[SalixIncendium]

There's still photos of it on the dark web.

Those are photoshopped!

 

[Secret Chief]

Those are photoshopped!

I thought you'd be proud. You certainly look proud.