Stories Collected While Living in France

French la Vie

Will the Real Ms. Arc Please Stand Up

Sacha asked me, "Mom, why is Joan of Arc called Joan and not Jean?"

Thinking, to myself where is he going with this, he loves tricky questions, and I always fall into the trap.
I answered, "Because her name is Joan. Joan of Arc, not Jean of Arc." I have
learned it is better to keep the answer short and to the point when one
thinks it is a tricky trap of some sort.

Sacha added to his thought, "In French her name is Jean, not Joan."

Me: "Well it is Jean in French and Joan in English."

Sacha: "How do you say Jean in English."

I knew he was going to trick me.

Me: "We say Jean in English."

Sacha: "So why don't you say Jean d' Arc instead of Joan of Arc if Jean is Jean in English?"

Me: "Because Joan is the translation for Jean in English."

Sacha, "So why Joan and not Jean? Where did Joan fit in?"

Me: "I guess somewhere along the line Joan derived from John…." but before I could finish my thought

Sacha interrupted, "What do you mean Jean is John? Why not John instead of Joan? Jean d'Arc sounds strange as Joan of Arc."

Me: "Okay." ( Isn't it easier sometimes to simply agree? It solves many of problems quickly, especially if it isn't something life threatening.)

Sacha: "Don't you agree?"

Me: "Okay."

Sometimes I wish we were just French or just American. How simple
and easy that would be. Black would be black, and white would be white,
and I wouldn't have to translate Jean from Joan amongst a million of
other things…

Like: "Why did some Americans drop the word "French" from
French fries when in France we just say "Fries"? And why didn't they
drop the word "French' from French toast and "French" from French doors
since they took French out of Fries? …and why do they call it French bread when it isn't even a baguette let alone French? … And why do they call it "Tar-JAY" when it is 'Tar-GET"?

Comments

34 responses to “Will the Real Ms. Arc Please Stand Up”

  1. maria

    Corey, did you ever hear that expression,
    “Insanity is hereditary–you get it from your children”–and you get to be driven crazy in 2 languages!

    Reply
  2. Karen from A`Musements

    To borrow from your adopted French, touche Corey! You make an excellent point!
    xoxo
    Karen

    Reply
  3. Jeanne

    I love you I love all your stories.
    Blessings my beautiful friend.
    Love Jeanne

    Reply
  4. Darla

    Yes, well I’d like to know the answer to some of those questions myself, LOL!
    Darla

    Reply
  5. Ed in Willows

    It sounds just like something I would do as a boy to aggravate my mother.

    Reply
  6. Sher

    Interesting post to me as I, for some unknown reason, awoke this morning wondering whether your children have a language preference. I know they are fluent in both English and French, speaking each without accents. Also: Are most of their dreams in French or English? Do either plan on making the U.S. their permanent home? Just being my usual curious self – Sher

    Reply
  7. Beverly

    Great questions! We have some of those ourselves, and we are just American!
    Thank you for sharing your sweet stories!

    Reply
  8. nancy

    as a non-american…:)
    i too have asked: why joan and not jean…?? sacha is too cute!!!!!
    xxnancy

    Reply
  9. Katy

    Short answer: I don’t know!

    Reply
  10. Joy

    Sacha will surely prevent you from getting early onset alzheimers! lol

    Reply
  11. caren k.

    Wow! sometimes our children love to mess with our minds! It’s their duty….LOL

    Reply
  12. Kris Franklin

    Now that, brings a chuckle to me. How funny! But he is right. Don’t they always wear you down? Ha Ha
    Kris

    Reply
  13. lila

    You have shared some deep questions…and I must admit to having been perturbed about some of this myself! Language is a funny thing. (I have a friend from Iran who says that “popcorn” in Farsi is literally “camel fart”… Don’t know if you should share that with Sasha…the questions could continue!)

    Reply
  14. Paula

    OK, now my head is spinning and I’m not even awake yet !! And on a Friday no less. Unfair, totally unfair.

    Reply
  15. Star

    Your accounting makes me laugh 🙂
    Sacha is full of questions–did he go through the “why” stage when he was 2 or 3? Vexing but so much fun! You are lucky to have such a son.

    Reply
  16. Rosemary

    These kids always win!!
    They are great though!!
    Rosemary

    Reply
  17. Mo’a

    So you think you have trouble…try three languages LOL
    And why don’t they call French Toast, Lost Bread?

    Reply
  18. Eunice

    Yikes! I had a hard enough time with my oldest daughter, who’s IQ is in the genius range. And us with only one language. I’m really glad she didn’t have TWO languages to play around with…

    Reply
  19. Tamara ModernGear TV

    Well I must say that though I do have most of the same questions, that tar-jay is a standard in my vocabulary! It just makes the rather mundane and cheaper Target seem to lean towards haute couture when uttered breathlessly!

    Reply
  20. Shannon

    Oy vey!

    Reply
  21. christy t.

    It all makes life complicated but with an interesting twist. Yes sometimes uncomplicated would be a nice refreshing break. your American,Danish, French friend Christy

    Reply
  22. Merisi

    Sounds all very familiar (even though my children most often trick me into calling for something that I pronounce “funny”, in their opinion).
    Did you know that French Toast was called “German Toast” (Fannie Farmer Cookbook, 1918) until World War II?

    Reply
  23. Candy

    holy cow! And I thought my life was complicated! Thanks for simplifying things!!!

    Reply
  24. French Husband

    Answer to Sher :
    not so long ago, Chelsea told me she’d like to live in Africa !…

    Reply
  25. Suzanne

    Oh Corey! I suppose you’re in hands with a witty teen-ager!!! 🙂

    Reply
  26. Uberburber

    you’ve got a smartie on your hands there. a lexicologist after my own heart. my favorite: french manicure. in Paris, I was told it’s called a “French manicure” not “manicure francaise…” b/c the Americans made it up! Go tackle that one w/ Sacha (when you’ve recovered from this one)!

    Reply
  27. Elaine L.

    I’m laughing.
    Actually, Jean = Joan in English, not Gene or Eugene or Eugenia. Does that complicate things more?
    ~elaine~

    Reply
  28. Hasmin

    Go figure! I’m at a lost for words…I’m so confused. lol

    Reply
  29. babelfish

    Makes life more interesting, non? 🙂
    An inquisitive mind is a fantastic gift.

    Reply
  30. Anne

    Haha. I was going to suggest the same thing Ed said. He does it to tease you because he knows you’ll continue to try to answer him until you are exasperated. I think it is a “teen-age-boy” thing. lol

    Reply
  31. My Mélange

    Though you wish simple, simple would also be boring. C’est non possible pour tu, Corey?
    Sasha just likes to get your goat. Or do they say get your Chevre in French????? ha
    Funny, my friend would say JC Penoir for JC Penny and of course- Tarjay for Target. Makes it seem like we are shopping at fancy French Department Stores.

    Reply
  32. Barbara Sydney Australia

    I love that boy!

    Reply
  33. Nora

    A much needed smile – thank you! 🙂

    Reply
  34. Sue McG

    All very excellent questions Sacha! I am Australian, my parents are English, my husband is English, his parents are Irish, my children are Californians – we have this type of question and answer session all the time. You say tom-ay-to, I say tom-ah-to 🙂 And yes, I think it SHOULD be Jean of Arc, but the English are always complicating things like this 🙂

    Reply

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