Anyone else have this problem?

January 10, 2008 at 05:06 AM

I know a lot of people here have learned French or are learning French because of Celine. I have been teaching myself little by little for 4 years (its going slow ) but over the holidays I have been spending a lot of time learning and I have acquired quite a bit...but my dilemma is....

I can only understand Celine's French! Lol, I was watching an interview from Les Stars de L'annee and I can understand pretty much everything Celine says but I can only understand a word or two from the interviewer...

Anyone else have this problem?!?! Or want to share your French learning experience?

Jillian

January 10, 2008 at 05:16 AM

its only been a year that ive been teaching myself French, but ill soon be taking classes. But i understand what youre saying, im like that too. For some reason i only understand the way Celine speaks. Maybe its because i watch so many videos of her that her voice and the way she speaks got to me. I'm not sure you understand what im saying, but i tried my best.

January 10, 2008 at 05:16 AM

Hi there,

I have put myself back into French classes with the goal of becoming as fully bilingual as possible...and yes it has been because of Celine and especially because of her French music which I have been so delighted to get to know. I believe it is because of the familiarity with her voice and the way she speaks that you've developed the capability of understanding her well; that makes sense to me. I have been trying to listen to French radio and television, and all Celine's French interviews, etc to become more and more familiar with lots of different voices speaking the language. It helps to immerse oneself into it as much as possible with the goal of "thinking in French". The more you talk to yourself in French as well, the better you will become at speaking it...and so the more you listen to it, the more you will understand. I know it's not going to be easy, but my heart and mind are in the right place to get it done. Good luck to you too. Perhaps we can PM each other from time to time...in French of course!!

Take care, T.

January 10, 2008 at 06:54 AM

It could be that you understand the dialect of French that Celine is speaking. The Quebecoise dialect is different from that in France. But since Celine is French Canadian, she can understand the French dialect from France and the two can converse with no problem. But you are only understanding the dialect Celine is speaking, and like you said listening to that interview, the interviewer was speaking a different French than you are used to speaking and learning.

January 10, 2008 at 08:14 AM

I remember Celine saying something one time about how she likes to speak in her native dialect and how she knows that the people from her home know exactly what she is saying...the way she said it made me think that her dialect is so different from french in France that people from France would have a hard time understanding her...idk. So when Celine speaks does she speak french like people from France or like her Quebec dialect?

Celine is also really expressive so I think that helps me understand her. And she pronounces her words really clearly.

January 10, 2008 at 08:22 AM

Celine speaks with a Quebec dialect. i can hear the difference even though i do not speak French. the France dialect sounds nicer than the Quebec one

January 10, 2008 at 08:49 AM

i have the same "problem" too, its just that she's from Quebec, her accent is simpler more clear like American english compared to British (supposedly, i don't understand a word from my greek-american landlord's english - my teacher was british

)

January 10, 2008 at 12:14 PM

No, whaaaat?! Doesn't the entire world know all kinds of French fluently?! I mean, who clearly needs French to be translated into English on a Céline DVD??!

English on the other hand! :hmm: That's hard! :nono: Bring on the French subtitles.... more French subtitles!!!!! :confused: :kicking:

/fred

January 10, 2008 at 12:16 PM

:mdr: ooooooooooooh how I hated it when on I dunno the 1f4t special when Céline said 'common let's go' it got translated in french!!! :wacko:

January 10, 2008 at 01:18 PM

I can understand it well from interviews,but actually not everything.Maybe i can get her cuz we almost know her breath...hhe.so i'm learning too,but not in course,but of myself...it's hard,but sometimes not..

January 10, 2008 at 01:29 PM

well i think that:

Celine's pronounciation both English and French are so clear than you can easily understand everything...

she speaks appropriate clear and fluently at the same time! her voice is soft and she doesn't hurry!

as for my French i ve been learning only for 6 months but i wish i understood everything someday

January 10, 2008 at 01:36 PM

her voice is soft and she doesn't hurry!

:yes: :yes: yeaaaaaaaaah right!!!!! :sofunny:

January 10, 2008 at 01:55 PM

her voice is soft and she doesn't hurry!

yeaaaaaaaaah right!!!!!

she does talk like a bullet train sometimes :giggle:

January 10, 2008 at 02:12 PM

I think you understand Céline better because she always gives similar answers and so you might've heard her answer already in English. That way you know the topic aand you can think of what Céline might say.... I experienced the same thing when I was still bad in French.

January 10, 2008 at 02:59 PM

I remember Celine saying something one time about how she likes to speak in her native dialect and how she knows that the people from her home know exactly what she is saying...the way she said it made me think that her dialect is so different from french in France that people from France would have a hard time understanding her...idk. So when Celine speaks does she speak french like people from France or like her Quebec dialect?

Celine is also really expressive so I think that helps me understand her. And she pronounces her words really clearly.

When Céline speaks french in France, she does speak french like us. She makes efforts not to sound too Québécois because she knows we have trouble understanding her accent. Of course she always says words that we don't know or barely use, which makes it funny for us. :xmas_laugh:

But when she speaks with her family / Québécois fans, pheeewwww! Like in the A New Day... french DVD when she meets this little Québécois girl, thank God they added subtitles! :sofunny:

January 10, 2008 at 03:06 PM

LOL! With me is the opposite: Celine's harder to understand than the others!

January 10, 2008 at 03:17 PM

You know, they should make Qubecois French learning CDs..because I know there is France French you can learn, but how are you supposed to understand Celine if she mostly speaks her own dialect? :hmm:

January 10, 2008 at 03:23 PM

The best place to study french is the Alliance Française, imo. Remember that Celine speaks and sings in 'international' french (which we're all learning :clap:

) so till we get more proficent we'll understand her better...

January 10, 2008 at 05:17 PM

You know, they should make Qubecois French learning CDs..because I know there is France French you can learn, but how are you supposed to understand Celine if she mostly speaks her own dialect?

Like I said, we DO understand her french, we just have to focus... it's not THAT different after all, only different words and accent... but most of the time it's alright. Of course it's difficult for people who never hear Québécois people speak... when my parents hear Céline speak her dialect they usually say "I don't understand a word" :shifty:

January 10, 2008 at 07:50 PM

I remember Celine saying something one time about how she likes to speak in her native dialect and how she knows that the people from her home know exactly what she is saying...the way she said it made me think that her dialect is so different from french in France that people from France would have a hard time understanding her...idk. So when Celine speaks does she speak french like people from France or like her Quebec dialect?

Celine is also really expressive so I think that helps me understand her. And she pronounces her words really clearly.
When Céline speaks french in France, she does speak french like us. She makes efforts not to sound too Québécois because she knows we have trouble understanding her accent. Of course she always says words that we don't know or barely use, which makes it funny for us.
But when she speaks with her family / Québécois fans, pheeewwww! Like in the A New Day... french DVD when she meets this little Québécois girl, thank God they added subtitles!

ok so again sth different in french dvd... can someone list all the differences i'd be really grateful!

January 10, 2008 at 08:13 PM

That's odd because from what I've heard some people from Quebec don't like to consider they're French as a dialect. The difference between France French and Quebec French is that in France the language has gone through the evolutionary process (it's changed with the times) while Quebec French is the same as used by the first French settlers. The language, for the most part, has remained unchanged. Learning them both is like learning 2 different languages because a lot of the words are different. I can understand Celine's french better then most but she does talk a mile a minute.http://www.smileysets.us/temp/PRINCESS/wacko.gif

January 10, 2008 at 10:24 PM

Well, I don't really understand Celine when she's speaking a France French language even a Quebec French. And sometimes I cant figured out what language she sings or spoke. Because as we all know that Celine has a lot of songs in another Languages,right? Which she has Amar Haciendo El Amor, All by myself in Spanish version. And I do think sometimes if Celine can speak not just A French or English Language. Because, once I saw her speaking into another language. And I can't identify it. :bye:

January 10, 2008 at 10:27 PM

I actually started learning french for the same reason 3 years ago

It's amazing how we all decide to learn french only because of Celine.

January 10, 2008 at 10:43 PM

it's so cool to know that everybody is learning french just to understand celine and her music :w00t:

it's funny that i always compare the french from france like the english from england and the french from canada like the english from america :lol:

celine's accent is no problem for me because i grew up around alot of french canadians and french is my third language although is easier for me to speak english being my second lang.

but when celine is speaking around her people and her family in shows or interview it's like goodness slow down girl!!! :doh:

January 11, 2008 at 01:43 AM

i remember taking up french for my elective back in uni coz i wanted to understand wht celine says..but, then like u said, i only understand her french

lol

i think like mst of u have said - it;s a different dialect between quebecois & french french?

but, it's beena long time since i last spoke/wrote french, it's getting way tooo rusty now, tht i might need to start all over again..

another thing tht why sometimes we understand celine's french is coz she's expressive. so, i know a word or two in her long expressive sentence, then kinda fix the puzzle together... u know? tht kinda thing?

but when she speaks soooo fast, i totally have got no clue.

yet, it's cute to see her speaking tht fast..lol

with the hands all over around!

so, Jillian, it's not jst u, u see

January 11, 2008 at 01:58 AM

I remember Celine saying something one time about how she likes to speak in her native dialect and how she knows that the people from her home know exactly what she is saying...the way she said it made me think that her dialect is so different from french in France that people from France would have a hard time understanding her...idk. So when Celine speaks does she speak french like people from France or like her Quebec dialect?

Celine is also really expressive so I think that helps me understand her. And she pronounces her words really clearly.
When Céline speaks french in France, she does speak french like us. She makes efforts not to sound too Québécois because she knows we have trouble understanding her accent. Of course she always says words that we don't know or barely use, which makes it funny for us.
But when she speaks with her family / Québécois fans, pheeewwww! Like in the A New Day... french DVD when she meets this little Québécois girl, thank God they added subtitles!

That is weird that her dialect can be so different that it can be hard for a native french speaker to understand her! What are some of the things that she says that are funny or words that she uses that aren't really used in France? Just curious.

Is it similar to trying to understand someone with a really heavy Irish or Scottish accent? Technically they are speaking English but they are sooo hard to understand!!

January 11, 2008 at 03:22 AM

French language in Quebec is not a dialect. It's French. Most of the words are the same as in France. The difference is the way people pronounce the words. Just like English is pronounced differently in the US and in England. The written language is the same!! (95% of the words are the same but there are expressions that differ like in any language).

Hope that helps. Good luck with the learning!! By the way, Celine usually speaks international French when she's in France or doing interviews in Canada (but at times she uses slang or local expressions with family and friends).

January 11, 2008 at 03:43 AM

uhuh..

i think i see your point..

i guess it's the different terms/jargons?to express certain things sometimes?

like certain english expression are used in aust/uk may not be used in US? :peace:

oh yeah, i am curious too, as Jillian is.

any1 can offer anything on that? :clapping:

January 11, 2008 at 03:43 AM

What is interesting is that because of the popularity of Celine, people like me who do not speak French may learn to speak "Celine French" as opposed to a more pure version of the language.

We may have a "Celine dialect" that is spoken in larger numbers worldwide than the "slang" used in Quebec!

January 11, 2008 at 04:21 AM

hahah! this idea ain't tht bad, either!!

:bananadance:

oh we should do it!!!

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