Thursday, August 11, 2011

L'Ascenseur

Part Un - in which pronunciation is hard

L'ascenseur means the elevator.  But to me, it has also come to symbolize just how challenging French pronunciation can be. Behold the following conversation:

Me: How do you say that?
Mr. Oil: L'ascenseur
Me: Right. L'ah-sen-sore.
Mr. Oil: No. L'ascenseur.
Me: That's what I said. L'ah-sahn-sore.
Mr. Oil: No. L'ascenseur. L'ascenseur. Just say what I'm saying.
Me: I am saying what you're saying. Duh. L'ah-sone-sar.
Mr. Oil: No! L'ascenseur. L'ah-sahn-suhr.
Me: OMG! That is what I have said a thousand times! L'ah-sahn-sore!
Mr. Oil: Suhr.
Me: Sore
Mr. Oil: Suhr.
Me: Seriously this is annoying. L'ah-sahn-suhr.
Mr. Oil: You did it!

We then proceeded to walk down the streets of Paris for a good several minutes saying nothing but:

"L'ascenseur?"
"Oui, l'ascenseur."
"L'ascenseur?"
"L'ascenseur."
"L'ascenseur."

And don't even get me started on the night when I asked for help learning to pronounce "un".

Part Deux - in which things in France are small

Have I mentioned that the elevator in our building is the smallest elevator I have ever seen? 
You can smush an adult in with the stroller.
Part Trois - in which we discover that I have a long way to go when it comes to understanding French

At the bookstore, I decided to purchase two French books for Baby Oil as Mr. Oil has taken to reading to him in French at bedtime.  The salesguy asked me a question which I thought meant, "Would you like a bag?" I politely replied, "Oh, oui, merci beaucoup."  At which point he began to gift-wrap the books. And I was too embarrassed to tell him that I don't need books for my own kid gift-wrapped. When Mr. Oil came home from work, I said, "Look, I got you a present and its even wrapped."  I'm an accidentally awesome wife!