"ça lui fait une belle jambe!" - "That makes him a nice leg !" ;-)

Do you want to dance with me?
This invitation took place, last Saturday, under sunny skies, for the traditional Arlington Town Day, located in the suburbs of Boston.
Like the previous years, the atmosphere was very lively and brought many smiles, and lots of fun.

Voulez-vous danser avec moi?
Cette invitation a eu lieu samedi dernier, sous un soleil radieux à l'occasion de la traditionnelle fête de la ville d'Arlington, située dans la banlieue de Boston.
Comme les années précédentes, l’atmosphère animée a apporté beaucoup de sourires et de joie.

French Expression in context / Expression française en contexte

Expressions around the word "jambe" (leg):

"Ca me/lui fait une belle jambe!" (Lit : That makes me/him-her a nice leg ! ) It won't get me/ him- her very far! As you may guess, this expression is related to fashion and beauty but, believe it or not, it’s all about men, not women. The origin goes back to the 17th century when men used to wear long silk socks (chausses). At that time, men legs were a great deal of attention (no offense ladies!) and ribbons were added to embellish and emphasize the legs. The expression “Cela ne me rendra pas la jambe mieux faite" (lit: it won’t bring me my leg better shaped ) is found in the “dictionnaire académique Furetière” (1694) and was used in a sarcastic sense, reffering to something useless is done to you . Another version is given by Diderot in one of his quotes: ‘"un homme qui marche et qui fait la belle jambe est faux et manieré" (“ a man walking while showing a beautiful leg is fake and affected”) gave the expression "faire la belle jambe" meaning: “to show off”/ to “prance”. The modern idom“ça lui fait une belle jambe :”(lit: it makes him/her a beautiful leg) is a combination of the two versions and means today: it's of no interest to me! ............................ "Faire des ronds de jambe " (lit: to make circle of legs!). To bow and scrape! This expression is a reference to a ballet dance figure « half-circles made by the pointed foot, returning through first position to repeat; creating the letter 'D' on the floor”. ............................... "Traiter par dessus la jambe" (Lit: to treat over the leg) To treat someone/something without regards. Borrowed from the old French game « jeu de paume » (tennis), this expression is derivaded from the metaphor "jouer quelqu'un sous jambe"("to play someone under leg") that was used when a player get the upper hand. ............................... "Avoir les jambes en coton" : ( Lit: to have legs of cotton"): To feel weak at the knees . The expression appeared for the first time in 1839 in the famous Stendhal novel: "La chartreuse de Parme"(sources: L'internaute). Cotton is also used in other French idioms. .................................. "Trainer la jambe" (Lit: to drag the leg) To trudge along. .............................. "Tenir la jambe à quelqu'un" (Lit to hold someone’s leg) To annoy someone with endless blabla... :-( .............................. I hope this is not the case here! Otherwise everyone might: "Prendre ses jambes à son cou" (Lit: to throw one’s legs to one’s neck) To take to one's heels .............................. Then, (Alors)… Au revoir et à bientôt j'espère!

To box things up! Faire ses cartons!

According to the CPS (Current Population Survey), less than 12 % of Americans moved since 2007. In comparison, between 1950s and 1960s, the number of movers reached near 20%.
Here is a map of the migration flows in the US.

As for us, after living 10 years in our house, we have decided to move because we felt in love with another house only a few steps away... We are now ready for another adventure!

*************

Selon l’enquête du CPS (Institut National de Statistiques) moins de 12% des américains ont déménagé depuis 2007. Par comparaison, entre 1950 et 1960, le nombre de déménagements atteignait alors 20%. Ici , une carte des flux de migrations internes aux US.

Quant à nous, après avoir vécu 10 ans dans notre maison, nous avons décidé de déménager car nous sommes littéralement « tombés en amour » pour une autre maison à seulement quelques pas d’ici... Nous voilà prêts maintenant pour une autre aventure !

French Expression in context / Expression française en contexte

The word "carton"derives from "carte"(borrowed from Italian "carta"). It is a thick reinforced paper used for all kinds of purposes.
Thus different expressions stem from this:

“ Faire ses cartons! " (lit: to make one's boxes). "Packing moving boxes!" To box things up! This figurative informal expression is often used in France when someone is moving. The word "carton" designates here the moving boxes. "Faire un carton!" (lit: to make a card). "It's a hit !" /To Do great. This expression has different meanings: 1. Back to the beginning of the 20th century, it was used in a shooting range, when the bullets were shot all in the middle of the target made of cardboard (carton in French) which led to a success. 2. In terms of Printing and Publishing, it refers to a technical process in which one or more papers containing errors are detached from the original document to be redone for printing. "cartonner" (to box/ to card) . To do great or To crash one's car. This verb is derivated from the expression "faire un carton". 1. It is used in an informal way also in a sens of success: "J'ai cartonné à mon examen de français!" (I did great on my French exam!). 2. However, it is also used in slang when having a car accident. A "carton" is an accident. "Taper le carton!"(lit: to hit the card). “Playing cards !” It's a familiar expression that found it roots in the old days when cards were made of cardboard (different layers of paper sticked together). The verb "taper" comes from the old French word"taquer" which means "frapper" (to hit). "(prendre) un carton jaune/rouge!": (to get) a Yellow/Red card. As in English, it is used in many sports to indicate that a player is to receive a suspension (temporary or permanently) regarding his conduct.

A bientôt!

A superb performance at the Symphony Hall! Un concert superbe au Symphony Hall!

The Boston Symphony Orchestra is now going to perform Beethoven Piano Concerto no5, Emperor, interpreted by renowned pianist Leon Fleisher, here at the Symphony Hall. This concert hall is considered to be one of the best in the world due to its exceptional acoustics. Built in 1900, it was also the first auditoria to apply new scientific techniques in acoustics developed by physicist Wallace Clement Sabine from Harvard. Everything was designed to obtain the best sound everywhere in the auditorium: the coffered ceiling, the shallow balconies, the floor of the stage and the walls built all sloped inward. The Symphony Hall also features a magnificent symphonic Aeolian-Skinner Pipe Organ, which is one the world's largest in the world.

L’orchestre symphonique de Boston s’apprête à jouer le concerto pour piano no5 «l’Empereur» de Beethoven, interprété par le célèbre pianiste Leon Fleisher au Symphony Hall. Cette salle de concert est considérée comme l’une des meilleures au monde, en raison de son acoustique exceptionnelle. Construit en 1900, c'est aussi le premier auditorium à avoir mis en pratique les nouvelles techniques scientifiques sur l’acoustique développées par le physicien Wallace Clement Sabine d’Harvard. A l’époque, tout avait été conçu pour obtenir la meilleure qualité de son partout dans l’auditorium : le plafond à caissons, les balcons peu profonds, le plancher de la scène et les murs en plan incliné. Le Symphony hall se distingue aussi son orgue symphonique, le sublime Aeolian-Skinner, qui figure parmi les plus grands au monde .

__________________________

French Lesson: Vocabulary

French-English cognates:(Part 2):

Bravo for your participation and great answers!

You did a wonderful job!

Among the 49 words you sent me, only 1 is not a French cognate (tuition).

1.The true friends / Les vrais amis (ending in -tion) : They have the same form and meaning.

So, here is the awesome list of all the English-French cognates you sent me:
action
bastion
competition
congratulation
congregation
consideration
contribution
convention
damnation
dissertation
elaboration
emotion
emulsion
excommunication
fascination
glorification
habitation
hospitalization
identification
jubiliation
libation
liberation
mobilisation
narration
nation
ovation
palpitation
perception
perdition
prescription
probation
protection
protestation
qualification
rehabilitation
radiation
recreation
relation
remuneration
revolution
tradition
sedition
salutation
station
sophistication
taxation
tribulation
visitation

And the 2 good news are:
1) There are many more !
2) You don't need to find out the gender. They are ALL feminine.

2.The false friends / Les faux amis (ending in -tion): They have the same form but different meanings.

An accommodation:
1) un logement (housing)
2) une accomodation, une adaptation (an adaptation)
An addition :
1)une addition, une somme (a sum)
2) une addition: une facture, une note (a bil)
A caution:
1) une caution, une garantie, une assurance: (a guarantee, a security)
2) la prudence, la précaution, un avertissement: (prudence, care, warning)
A deception:
1) une imposture, une duperie, une tromperie: (an imposture)
2) une déception : (a disappointment)
An exploitation:
1) l'utilisation: (usage, running, operating)
2) une exploitation: un abus (exploitation)
3) une exploitation: une entreprise, un domaine, une ferme (a farm, a holding, an estate)
The formation:
1) la création, la formation, un développement: (a development, a forming, a fabrication)
2) une formation: un apprentissage (a training)
Congratulation:
In French: félicitations, compliments: (compliments)
A location:
1) une location: un endroit, un emplacement ( a position, a placement)
2) Une location: un loyer, un location (hiring, rent)
An isolation:
1) une isolation: un isolant, une protection (insulation, protection)
2) l'isolement, la quarantaine (quarantine)
A station :
1) une station: un arrêt, un stop - une station de métro : (a subway stop )
2) une station: un lieu d’observation (an observation place)
3) une station: un lieu de vacances, une station de ski(a ski resort)
A tuition:
In French: les frais de scolarité (school fees)

L'expression de la semaine / French Expression of the week:

- un concert de louanges/ de lamentations: a chorus of praise/lamentations
- "de concert avec" (en accord avec): in compliance with, in cooperation with, in agreement with.