Readers Respond: You might be a Francophile if ...

Responses: 107

By Laura K. Lawless, About.com Guide

Tell the world what it means to you to be a Francophile. What is a Francophile?

you look outside in England and the sun is miraculously shining for once, you've got yummy english muffins waiting downstairs and Man U are playing Manu City in the pub across the road but you're still in bed at midday on a Sunday stepping through Laura's french quizes...
—ozjos

The only reason that you're surviving your first year of teaching is because you finally have the chance to talk about French and in French all day long...to a captive audience! :)
—mlleweaver

You slip out of speaking English into French without even realizing you did it and the only clue you have is that the person you were talking to looks at you like you are insane....
—francophile4ever

the children in your primary school class all immediately turn to look at you and smile everytime the word 'France' or anything remotely related to France or the French is mentioned.
—MadameRosbif

you swill grape juice around in your glass, sniff at it appreciatively and sip it a few times before you finally drink it...really noisily.
—Guest CrazyaboutFrenchDevika

you find yourself wishing everyone who has responded so far lived in your neighborhood. Or you keep an Alain Bachung CD in your car at all times and really test yourself by listening to French rap (La Rage by Keny Arkana especially). Or you cry until you're exhausted over Sartre's grave.
—Guest entendre

- You listen to French music almost all the time and hate when you have to listen to American music - You buy French books and get upset when Barnes&Noble doesn't sell the French versions on nook - You speak to everyone in French by accident even if they don't speak French - "ouais" often slips out before you correct yourself with "yeah" - You are physically unable to say French phrases that Americans use in your American accent - When you go someplace new where nobody knows you, you seriously consider speaking with a French accent - You roll your eyes when people think stereotypes are real - You wonder how many croissants you should buy at the grocery store because you don't know if that many will last you the week. - Anything that sounds French is by default better - France > America.
—Guest rhonda

you conjugate verbs in your head silently while running, mowing the lawn, or going about your day.
—Guest francophreak

one day your husband begs you to turn the news to CNN instead of France 24 and your daughter chimes in with s'il te plait.
—Guest Elle Thompson

you speak your native language with a French accent, hoping that others will think you are French. (Most likely to happen in an area you haven't been before - it's quite an embarrassing experience to speak to someone you believe you've never met before with a French accent, and they later confront your mother saying "I never knew your son was French..."
—Guest Reuben

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