jeudi 21 octobre 2010

9. La Rue Saint-Jacques

Monsieur, le professeur, est toujours dévoué à son ses livres toujours. Il marche lentement La Rue Saint-Jacques près de La Sorbonne. Il est un homme des idées grande - peut-être des idées fixe. Il a une chambre dans L'hotel Sorbonne et il prend de l'exercice dans les jardins du Luxembourg. Il est seul la plupart du temps.

* * * * *
The teacher is still devoted to his books. He slowly walks Rue Saint-Jacques near The Sorbonne. He is a man of big ideas - perhaps obsessions. He has a room in the Hotel Sorbonne and takes his exercise in the Luxembourg gardens. He is alone as often as not.

7 commentaires:

Virginia a dit…

Oh I sometimes get sad in Paris. There seem to be so many lonely older people walking and in the parks. On the other hand, I think it just seems like more. Our older people are all inside with their televisions. In Paris they seem to make the effort to get out and walk and enjoy the parks no matter how long it takes them. I watched a lady one day. It broke my heart as she laboriously walked the street in the Marais. Difficile, but just the effort of getting out and being around other people and enjoying the weather ....it must be better .

alice a dit…

I agree with Virginia (Hello Virginia!), so many lonely people in our large cities, like in any country I think, sigh... A nice portrait, tho (but mind your adjectives in French ;-))

Julie a dit…

Thank you, Virginia and Alice. It had not occurred to me to that there were an inordinate number of single aged. But, yes, I would much prefer they/we be out and about than stuck in front of the television. I will pay attention here over the next week and see what I think.

Thank you Alice for your comments. I do welcome them. That is the only way I will improve my written French and my general understanding.

I am working on those agreements!

Anonyme a dit…

Virg, really? I just thought he was a dapper gentleman with a great looking hat, looking at books.

Julie a dit…

I wonder if my text is influencing this conversation. I will ponder on it. I could have written quite differently, of course ...

Francisca a dit…

I'm quite with altadenahiker...

Julie, I am as much the student here as you are. So please take all my comments in that light. My general impression is that you are writing in English then translating. That makes the French sound a tad stilted. I believe the more usual order for the first sentence, for example, would be: Il est toujours dévoué à ses livres. Also, it's: des idées fixe (a terrific expression that has no perfect English equivalent, does it?). :-)

Julie a dit…

Yes, a number of people have told me that I think in English rather than in French. I am no advanced enough to be able to pick the French 'way' just yet. Need to do more reading and listening.

Hopefully, I have made the changes you suggest.