French Interest Stuff

dash_zero | 10:39 Fri 19th Aug 2005 | Phrases & Sayings

4 Answers

>Is there an equivalent of the English 'master', i.e. in the vein of 'mademosielle'.

>What does BCBG (as in pretentious) stand for?

>Are there other terms for hair colour apart from rousse, brun/e, blond/e, chatain? I'm thinking alng the lines of like strawberry blonde, ginger etc.

French Questions: The Sequel

F.A.B.- Thunderbireds

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jno

bon chic bon genre I think.

xmanfe1999

Hi, I'm French and I think I can give you reliable answers for both your questions. jno is right, but I don't quite agree with your interpretation ("as in pretentious") of the word... One can be "BCBG" in many different ways : clothes are of course the main aspect of the thing but it is also a way of thinking, acting, speaking...in fact a whole way of life. Being BCBG implies that one must have quite a lot of money (or at least try to convince others they have), wear reasonably trendy but decent clothes (Burbery trench coats, navy blue pleated skirts etc...) learn a music instrument (preferably the piano) go to mass, etc... In fact most French think BCBG people are more tedious or narrow minded than pretentious. Anyway this word and the people concerned, have gone a bit out of use but if you want to see a fair sample of the species you must see "La vie est un long fleuve tranquille" by Etienne Chatilliez ("Life is a long quiet river"?) or maybe you already have? The new category of people (not quite new and already a bit out, though) are the BOBOs...

As for an equivalent for "master", there is none. Most people say "jeune homme", when they want to be polite with a young man or even with a boy, but it can only be used as a term of address and is not abbreviated (on mail for example). Hope I have been of any help.

xmanfe1999

Oups, I started answering before I finished reading your question... Of course there are other words: roux carotte, blond paille, poivre et sel, auburn, aile de corbeau, platine... and many others. Bye.

dash_zero

Question Author

Thank you very much xmanfe, that's a great help, i'll be able to impress my french teacher with some of that!

Haere r�

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