Jean-Benoît Nadeau and Julie Barlow spent a decade
traveling back and forth to Paris as well as living there. Yet one important
lesson never seemed to sink in: how to communicate comfortably with the French,
even when you speak their language. In The Bonjour Effect Jean-Benoît and Julie
chronicle the lessons they learned after they returned to France to live, for a
year, with their twin daughters. They offer up all the lessons they learned and
explain, in a book as fizzy as a bottle of the finest French champagne, the
most important aspect of all: the French don't communicate, they converse. To
understand and speak French well, one must understand that French conversation
runs on a set of rules that go to the heart of French culture. Why do the
French like talking about "the decline of France"? Why does broaching
a subject like money end all discussion? Why do the French become so aroused
debating the merits and qualities of their own language? Through encounters
with school principals, city hall civil servants, gas company employees, old
friends and business acquaintances, Julie and Jean-Benoît explain why,
culturally and historically, conversation with the French is not about
communicating or being nice. It's about being interesting. After reading The
Bonjour Effect, even readers with a modicum of French language ability will be
able to hold their own the next time they step into a bistro on the Left Bank.
The description
above doesn’t adequately depict the depth and breadth of The Bonjour Effect (“in a book as fizzy
as a bottle of the finest French champagne”) While there are some light-hearted moments,
the authors supported their observations not only with personal experience, but
with impressive knowledge of French history, past and current political climates, cultural
mores, and of course a scientific examination of linguistics. If you want the
bare bones commandments of what to do and not to do when conversing with the
French, skip to the end for a list called the “Twelve Guiding Principles of
French Conversation” (i.e. “Say bonjour like you mean it and say it a
lot.” “Never take non for an
answer. Keep talking until you get a
oui.”
Though the list is
very handy, it is simplistic. The preceding chapters delve into the sometimes
complex reasons behind French attitudes and taboos, which are endlessly
fascinating for a Francophile such as myself.
The French can be a baffling lot but The Bonjour Effect goes a long way
to illuminating their mysterious ways. I plan on rereading it prior to my next trip to Paris as a refresher.
