I’m reading a book called 1000 Years of Annoying the French (thanks Joris!) which is a hilariously written and very instructive history of Anglo-French relations. At the end is a set of great quotations that both sides have said about one another, and I want to share some of them here.
“The English do add here and there some other words when speaking, but it is obvious that ‘God-damn’ is the foundation of their language.” – Pierre-Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais
“To err is human. To laze about is Parisian.” – Victor Hugo
“English is just badly pronounced French.” – Georges Clemenceau
“We could never tell whether the Parisians were happy to hear us making mistakes when speaking French, or if they just found the mistakes interesting to listen to.” – Franz Kafka
“I like the French very much, because even when they insult you, they do it so nicely.” – Josephine Baker
“I would rather have a German division in front of me than a French one behind me.” – General Patton
On an unrelated note, all cultures and nations surely can agree that the Eiffel Tower is a stunningly beautiful structure. Every time I see it I am amazed – its incredible height, elegant curves, and the near-transparency of its frame that makes it like a piece of art. When I leave the office I see it through one of the sidestreets and every single time it’s a wonderful sight. I’ve included the photo of it here.
