connaissance

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Frank on June 25, 2009 at 10:06pm

Definitely.

By the way, instead of saying "to tell the time and say hello", you can say "parler de tout et n'importe quoi". Means to chit-chat.

Permalink Reply by Stephen Liu on June 26, 2009 at 3:07am

Hi Frank DENIS,

"parler de tout et n'importe quoi"

That is the phrase I'm looking. Thanks

Does it include talking "weather"?

Actually I need a phrase - daily/common chatting, i.e.;

The level of French learned in school is only for chatting. If the target is on writing or speaking professional French we have to further our study on advanced French


B.R.
satimis

Permalink Reply by Frank on June 26, 2009 at 9:08am

Hi Stephen,

Yes, "parler de tout et n'importe quoi" also includes talking about the weather.

If you want to say daily/common chatting, this is definitely an expression you can use.
You might see "parler à bâtons rompus" in a dictionnary or through automated translation engines, but that one is actually almost never used.

If you want to sound more formal / professional, you can say "tenir une conversation" (to hold a conversation).

Permalink Reply by Stephen Liu on June 26, 2009 at 9:45am

Hi Frank,

[quote]
You might see "parler à bâtons rompus" in a dictionnary or through automated translation engines, but that one is actually almost never used
[/quote]

I found it here (NOT in dictionary NOR in translation engines. It was translated differently without sense);
http://www.larousse.fr/dictionnaires/francais-anglais/parler%20%C3%...

parler à bâtons rompus (to make casual conversation)

It is a good phrase. It is common in English. What about in French?

My experience and knowledge in IT help me a lot in learning French including other languages.

[quote]
If you want to sound more formal / professional, you can say "tenir une conversation" (to hold a conversation).
[/quote]


Where and how to use this phrase? Thanks

B.R.
SL

Permalink Reply by Stephen Liu on June 26, 2009 at 9:53am

Hi Frank,

[quote]
You might see "parler à bâtons rompus" in a dictionnary or through automated translation engines, but that one is actually almost never used.
[/quote]

I found the above phase here (NOT in dictionary NOR in translation engines. It was translated differently without meaning);

http://www.larousse.fr/dictionnaires/francais-anglais/parler%20%C3%...

parler à bâtons rompus (to make casual conversation)

It is a good phrase commonly applied in English. What about in French?

My knowledge in IT helps me a lot in learning French including other languages.

[quote]
If you want to sound more formal / professional, you can say "tenir une conversation" (to hold a conversation).
[/quote]
How and where to use this phrase? Thanks

B.R.
SL

Permalink Reply by Frank on June 26, 2009 at 10:33am

Hey Stephen,

"parler à bâtons rompus" sounds very formal, at least nowadays. You can read it in books, you can write it in very formal letters, but, ironically, this is not something one would say in a casual conversation. "Parler de tout et de n'importe quoi" or "parler de la pluie et du beau temps" (talking about weather, but not only about the weather) is way much common.

Now, about the other one. You can say "je peux tenir une conversation en Français". Means that you are fluent in French and you can talk about things that go beyond time and weather. Or even "je peux tenir une conversation avec un inconnu". Means that you're able to talk for any length of time to a stranger.

Permalink Reply by Stephen Liu on June 26, 2009 at 1:19pm

Hi Frank,

So in formal/legal document can I write;

Le bâtons rompus est la partie intégrante en notre rassemblement social

OR

La conversation occasionnelle est la partie intégrante en notre rassemblement social

(Casual conversation is part and parcel in our social gathering)

[quote]
Or even "je peux tenir une conversation avec un inconnu". Means that you're able to talk for any length of time to a stranger.
[/quote]
Like a politician?


B.R.
SL

Permalink Reply by Frank on June 26, 2009 at 2:44pm

Or even "je peux tenir une conversation avec un inconnu". Means that you're able to talk for any length of time to a stranger. => like a politician?

Ehm, yes, like a politician, but it's actually more generic. It can also mean, for instance, that you're able to talk to anyone you just hooked up with (and a real and interesting conversation, not just a oneliner). Or that you can hold a conversation with your mother-in-law.


"Le bâtons rompus est la partie intégrante en notre rassemblement social"
"La conversation occasionnelle est la partie intégrante en notre rassemblement social"

No, no, no, no, no :)

Avoid "est la partie intégrante". It's ok for technical documentation, if you describe the internals of an engine or something like that. But in other contexts, it's totally offbeat.

You'd better use "faire partie de" to say "to be part of".

"La conversation à bâtons rompus fait partie de notre rassemblement social".

That one is correct, although, again, it's very formal. You can say that to your boss, but you wouldn't say that to a friend nor a colleague.

"occasionnel" / "occasionnelle" really means occasionnal, ie. something that doesn't happen frequently. It's slightly different from "casual".

"La conversation occasionnelle fait partie de notre rassemblement social" is a correct sentence, but it'd mean that you talk to someone for a few seconds, then you stop talking, then, maybe you talk again for a little while, then you stop.... It's a bit weird :)

So stick with "La conversation à bâtons rompus fait partie de notre rassemblement social". Or maybe just "discuter entre nous fait partie de notre rassemblement social" (talking together. Way simpler, but it can work in any situation, formal or not)

Permalink Reply by Stephen Liu on June 26, 2009 at 3:41pm

Hi Frank,

Thanks for your detail advice.

I'll start another thread on "part and parcel".

B.R.
satimis

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