Sunday, February 1, 2009

Sur le pont d'Avignon


One more famous French children's song: Sur le pont d'Avignon i.e. on the Avignon bridge. It's about beautiful ladies and gentlemen dancing on the bridge.
Pink Lady has not - yet - been to Avignon. This was a card from a friend. Note the use of the word yet. This was something that Pink Lady first heard from the husband of her Italian teacher at University. She met him at a friend's wedding. He asked Pink Lady if she spoke some language and Pink Lady replied that she did not. And he then said: "I see, not YET!".
The habit of using the word yet has remained. Pink Lady will often say e.g. "I can't afford to buy that car yet" or "I have not been to Tahiti yet" or "I am not a millionaire yet". You get the point. Just saying "I have not been to Tahiti" is boring - but saying that you have not yet been implies that you will some day, and that's really exciting! What we say is important: if you don't mean it or don't want it, don't say it.

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