1. Objectively speaking, France is not a proper powerhouse when it comes to the Olympics. You would think the French recognize this. However, their frustration of not having had a medal since Tuesday (today is Friday) was obvious from tonight's coverage. The presenters kept on going on and on about the medal-less streak and the interviewers in Vancouver questioned coaches and sometimes crying athletes to explain their less than stellar performances. One presenter said that he got an email from a man who wanted to name his just-born son for the next medal winner and that he is left hanging...
2. The French love Canadians! They try to find any and every Canadian that speaks French and they come right out saying things like "we love the way you speak French!", "what a cute accent you people have!". I heard one presenter remark that while the accent is really marked in conversations, French Canadians have no accent whatsoever when they are singing (example given: Celine Dion). Hmmm? I have to say, I myself have serious problems understanding Canadian French.
3. The number one thing you hear repeatedly from announcers: Oh-la-la, oh-la-la (usually in two's). Contrary to what many Americans may think, it's not just women who say oh-la-la. EVERYBODY says it (quite funny, for me at least, to go to an arcade where a bunch of tough looking French teenage boys are crying out oh-la-la!)
4. The number two thing that you hear repeatedly from announcers is "Chapeau!" - - literally, "Hat!" - After a while I figured out that what they mean to say is "Bravo" or "Fantastic". I guess crying out "hat" is short for "I tip my hat off to your amazing performance". Interesting.
The coverage tonight is going on, but they seem absolutely dejected that another night may go by without a French medal... Allez France!
No comments:
Post a Comment