Latest from Local France
Local France
31 minutes ago
- Politics
- Local France
French word of the day: Circonlocution
Why do I need to know circonlocution? Because once you know what it is, you'll realise you've heard it used numerous times every single day What does it mean? Circonlocution – roughly pronounced seer-con-low-coo-syon – is a way of talking around a subject using expressions rather than the word itself. It can be used when someone verbally dances round a topic they're unwilling to discuss directly – an English circonlocution of this would be the phrase 'beat about the bush' – which means to discuss a matter without coming to the point. Like almost every meeting in history. Advertisement But it is also the term for expressions used to replace words, which French does a lot. For example, using the well-known phrase la langue de Molière , when you mean 'French', or Le locataire de Matignon to describe the prime minister would be examples of circonlocution . This sort of things happens with places names a lot too - L'île de beauté for Corsica, la ville rose for Toulouse or la ville lumière for Paris. You may also hear unclear language described as la langue de bois – in this case the lack of clarity is a deliberate attempt to obscure or confuse an issue. Unsurprisingly, it's a charge often levelled at politicians. Use it like this Nous n'avons pas le temps d'écouter vos circonlocutions – we don't have time to listen to you beat about the bush
Local France
32 minutes ago
- Politics
- Local France
European countries announce joint action against Russia's 'shadow fleet'
According to a statement from Denmark's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, representatives of Belgium, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Sweden and the United Kingdom had met to discuss the issue on Thursday. "We have agreed to further strengthen our cooperation and ensure a joint and coordinated approach by our national authorities to address Russia's shadow fleet," the statement said. The countries had committed to "compile a common set of guidelines in line with international law to promote responsible behaviour at sea, strengthen compliance with international law, and ensure transparency across maritime operations." Security analysts say Russia is operating a large "shadow fleet" of hundreds of vessels, seeking to dodge the sanctions Western nations imposed on its oil exports over the war in Ukraine. Several undersea Baltic cables were damaged last year, with many experts calling it part of a "hybrid war" carried out by Russia against Western countries. "If vessels fail to fly a valid flag in the Baltic Sea and the North Sea, we will take appropriate action within international law," the statement said. Advertisement It added that "stateless vessels, including those falsely claiming to fly a flag," lack a responsible flag state and do not have the same rights entitled to them under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). In January, NATO announced the deployment of ships, aircraft and drones in a Baltic Sea operation in response to damage to several submarine cables, but the operation requires considerable human and material resources. In the face of these threats, the transatlantic organisation wants to strengthen its fleet of unmanned surveillance ships in the Baltic Sea as part of its operation "Task Force X".
Local France
32 minutes ago
- General
- Local France
'The neighbours laugh at me' - should foreigners try swearing in French?
We asked readers of The Local about their experiences of swearing in French - and more than half of respondents said they never or rarely swear in French. But this wasn't about the ethics or aesthetics of swearing itself. We wanted to know if people's language changed depending on whether they were speaking French or were using their mother tongue, which for most survey respondents was English. And it seems that it does. Only a couple of people said that they swear more in French - overall around one third of people said they swore at about the same rate in English and French, and two thirds said that they swear less or never in French. Listen to the team at The Local discuss their own experiences of French swearing, and whether they think it's better to keep it clean, in the latest episode of the Talking France podcast. Listen here or on the link below And the most common reaction from French friends, neighbours or colleagues when they swore? Laughter. Which probably isn't precisely the effect they were going for. Advertisement Patricia, who lives in Quimper, Brittany, and describes herself as 'retired and look more prim than I am' says: "I swear under my breath - putain or merde - but sometimes get a small smile if I am heard." READ ALSO : 'Putain de bordel de merde': How to use the F-word in French✎ Gerry Buckland, 77, who lives in Charente, said the response to him swearing is "usually laughter". Meanwhile Marie in Dordogne said her French friends are "mostly amused" if she swears while Joanna, 50, who lives in the Paris suburbs said that "chuckles" are the most common reaction. Tony, 66, who lives in Charente, said: "They think it funny if I swear, it sounds wrong to them - they think all English people are very polite." It was rare for people to get a truly negative reaction, however, and Chris Downes, who lines in Haute-Savoie, said: "I think they find it quite endearing that a non-native speaker can use such words." Some people, however, said they had been advised against trying to swear in French. Paula Cameron who lived in Bordeaux for several years, said she once said ' con ' in front of her French host family and 'learned her lesson' - so now never swears in French. Davis, who lives in a small village in the Burgundy region, said: 'The first time I tried to use a harsh swear phrase a French neighbour told me that it didn't sound good at all coming from me and I shouldn't swear. I think specifically because I'm foreign.' We asked French language expert Camille Chevalier-Karfis for her advice and she said: "Slang or swearing stands out in the mouth of a foreigner, and it's easy for it to seem forced or contrived. Advertisement "If you have to use it, be sure you really understand it first, as it will stand out twice as strongly as when a French person says it." In general her advice is that it's good to learn these words so you understand what is being said and how strong certain French swear words are, but it might be better to refrain from using them. 'Know it, don't show it,' she said. Thanks to everyone who took part in our survey - feel free to share your experiences and views on French swearing in the comments section below.
Local France
5 hours ago
- Business
- Local France
France finds cash for ‘strategic asset' satellite firm Eutelsat
'The race is on. That's why we have to take a position now and invest now. Otherwise, the whole market will be occupied and France and Europe will depend on other powers in future,' Macron's office told AFP. Part of an overall deal with other investors worth €1.35 billion, a new €717 million capital injection by the French state on Thursday will make Paris Eutelsat's largest shareholder, raising its stake from 13 percent to just under 30 percent – a threshold that would have required launching a full takeover bid. The announcement comes as competition heats up in the satellite communications sector, where Elon Musk's Starlink is a dominant player but some governments would prefer sovereign solutions. Boasting more than 600 satellites since merging with British firm OneWeb in 2023, Eutelsat is the world's second-largest operator of low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites, behind Starlink, making it the obvious candidate as a European champion. The company has in the past called itself 'the only LEO alternative to Starlink'. 'Eutelsat is a strategic asset contributing to European strategic autonomy,' French Finance Minister Eric Lombard's office said. But it remains far smaller than the American heavyweight, which has 6,000 satellites lofted into orbit by Musk's comparatively cheap, reusable SpaceX rockets. Set to be completed by the end of this year, the capital increase is 'a pivotal step in Eutelsat's strategic and financing roadmap, enabling the execution of its strategic vision,' it said. The money will fund a renewal of Eutelsat's satellite fleet and improve its financial situation, including through a debt restructuring. Eutelsat is also gearing up to contribute to the Iris² network of European satellites in multiple orbits, supposed to offer communication services from 2030. 'The war in Ukraine has shown the importance of space infrastructure for resilient communications infrastructure, whether civilian or military,' Lombard's office said. Advertisement 'It has also spotlighted Europe's dependence on non-European technology.' Musk has called Starlink the 'backbone' of the Ukrainian army because of its wide use defending against Russia's invasion since 2022 – and warned that 'their entire front line would collapse if I turned it off', sending Europeans scrambling for alternatives. Eutelsat had already this week signed a 10-year, billion-euro deal at the Paris Air Show to provide military communications for the French armed forces. And presenting its latest quarterly results last month, the firm said it was in active sales talks with governments both inside and outside Europe. Major shareholders stumping up money alongside Paris are shipping giant CMA CGM, Indian telecoms operator Bharti Airtel and the FSP investment fund, owned by seven French insurance companies. The two-stage plan includes a 'reserved' capital increase open only to the four named investors, with a second round open to others. 'Discussions are ongoing' with other investors including the British government, 'which could join the capital raise in due course,' Eutelsat said. Advertisement
Local France
5 hours ago
- Climate
- Local France
Heatwaves in France: earlier, hotter, longer
"We have observed, in a very well-documented manner, that heatwaves are occurring earlier and earlier, longer and longer, and more intense," Météo-France forecaster François Gourand told Franceinfo . Although heatwaves are far from a new phenomenon, Météo France's records show that they are becoming more and more common as global temperatures rise. READ ALSO 'Avoid iced water and air-conditioning on max' - How the French stay cool in a heatwave Between 1947 and 2024, national forecaster Météo-France recorded 49 heatwaves - defined in France as an episode where temperatures are abnormally high for several days. Advertisement READ ALSO How hot will it get in France this summer? Between 1947 and 1957, four heat waves were recorded. This figure has increased fivefold over the last 10 years, from 2014 to 2024. They will become increasingly common by the end of the century. By 2050, when France will already be, on average, 2.7C warmer than the pre-industrial period, the number of heatwave days will increase fivefold again, according to Météo-France. And tenfold in a France 4C hotter than the pre-industrial period, by 2100. To put that into perspective, we're currently running at around 1.7C above pre-industrial norms. READ ALSO In Maps: The five worst French cities to spend a heatwave in Climate change is making France hotter on average. But heatwaves will get more intense. To calculate a national heatwave, Météo-France runs the numbers of the national heat index – it must exceed 25.3C for one day and 23.4C for at least three days for the French forecaster to declare a heatwave. Back during the deadly 16-day heatwave in 2003, when temperatures above 40C were recorded in Toulouse, Lyon, Dax and Orange, the national heat index rose past 29C. In 2019, a heatwave of shorter duration – when a new local record high temperature of 46C was set in the Hérault, the national heat index was higher still. READ ALSO How to get a good night's sleep in a French heatwave Beyond their accelerated frequency and intensity, these heatwaves are starting to hit France earlier and later in the summer. A mid-June heatwave such as the one we're entering here, which was once considered unseasonably early, is now increasingly common – while it has also become more common in recent years to experience these weather phenomena after August 15th. Our children, and our children's children are likely to endure heatwaves from mid-May all the way through to the end of September, experts warn.
