Bofinger - Correction Pronunciation
Jul 7th, 2006, 09:02 PM
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Bofinger - Correction Pronunciation
I say Bow-finger, my friend insists that it is Bow-fon-jay.
It is an Alsatian (sp) brasserie, so I don't think that it would have a French name. We've both eaten there, separately, numerous times over the years, so there was never any reason for either of us to clarify it.
She speaks fluent French, I don't. Please help us settle this friendl 'argument'.
Nina
It is an Alsatian (sp) brasserie, so I don't think that it would have a French name. We've both eaten there, separately, numerous times over the years, so there was never any reason for either of us to clarify it.
She speaks fluent French, I don't. Please help us settle this friendl 'argument'.
Nina
Jul 7th, 2006, 10:17 PM
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I stand corrected. I speak enough French so that I can put them together.
A few years back we met a lovely local couple in a restaurant. and they offered us a ride home after dinner. We were staying on r. des Tournelles. We told them that it was around the corner from Bow-fon-jay (shortly after my friend had corrected my pronunciation). They had no idea what we were talking about, which was very surprising to us as they were from Paris.
We directed them, and as we passed the restaurant, we pointed it out saying 'Bow-fon-jay". Madame said, 'oh no, that is Bow-finger'.
Nina
A few years back we met a lovely local couple in a restaurant. and they offered us a ride home after dinner. We were staying on r. des Tournelles. We told them that it was around the corner from Bow-fon-jay (shortly after my friend had corrected my pronunciation). They had no idea what we were talking about, which was very surprising to us as they were from Paris.
We directed them, and as we passed the restaurant, we pointed it out saying 'Bow-fon-jay". Madame said, 'oh no, that is Bow-finger'.
Nina
Jul 7th, 2006, 10:27 PM
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As I was typing about the lovely local couple who offered us a ride home after dinner, I saw the faces of Christopher Walken and Helen Mirren in The Comfort of Strangers. Scary ... next time we'll take the Metro ;-)
Nina
Nina
Jul 8th, 2006, 10:33 AM
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Jul 8th, 2006, 12:15 PM
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Thanks Ira, I am in love with Alain. Now I will have to start writing fasters while trying to spell phonectically in French.
You should make a separate post for all to see (or maybe we shud just keep it a secret right here).
Thanks,
Nina
You should make a separate post for all to see (or maybe we shud just keep it a secret right here).
Thanks,
Nina
Jul 8th, 2006, 12:26 PM
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Forgot......you won't make an Alsacian very happy if you make any references to the German sounding name. They are very concerned about this misrepresentation and if they sense any doubts they will let you know that they are French.
Jul 9th, 2006, 01:55 AM
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Bigal, of course you are right - my error.
About 25 years ago I was waiting for my mother in a hospital waiting room, while she was having a broken wrist x-rayed.
I was alone in the small enclosed room, when another woman came in and sat down. We exchanged greetings, and got into a conversation. She spoke with a French accent, so asked I asked her where she was from - she said Alsace.
A few minutes another lady came in and when she spoke, she too had a French accident. Busy body me, told her that the other woman was French also. I asked where she was from - Alsace also. I forget the name of their towns.
Both women appeared to be in their 60's. They started talking, and within minutes it became apparent that one of them had been in the Resistance and the other, well the other, was on the other side.
The Resistance woman accused the other woman of forsaking the French language, in favor of German, etc..and spoke of her Resistance activities to keep the area French.
The woman on 'the other side', actually spit on her, telling her that every time the Resistance did something to interfer with the occupation, the Germans would take it out on the rest of them.
It escalated quickly and the women were yelling at each other. My mother had finished with her x-rays and came into the room for me to take her home. She took one look at the tense scene and asked me what was going on.
I grabbed her by her good arm, whisked her out as quickly as I could, telling her that I had just started WW III.
So much for polite conversation ;-)
Nina
About 25 years ago I was waiting for my mother in a hospital waiting room, while she was having a broken wrist x-rayed.
I was alone in the small enclosed room, when another woman came in and sat down. We exchanged greetings, and got into a conversation. She spoke with a French accent, so asked I asked her where she was from - she said Alsace.
A few minutes another lady came in and when she spoke, she too had a French accident. Busy body me, told her that the other woman was French also. I asked where she was from - Alsace also. I forget the name of their towns.
Both women appeared to be in their 60's. They started talking, and within minutes it became apparent that one of them had been in the Resistance and the other, well the other, was on the other side.
The Resistance woman accused the other woman of forsaking the French language, in favor of German, etc..and spoke of her Resistance activities to keep the area French.
The woman on 'the other side', actually spit on her, telling her that every time the Resistance did something to interfer with the occupation, the Germans would take it out on the rest of them.
It escalated quickly and the women were yelling at each other. My mother had finished with her x-rays and came into the room for me to take her home. She took one look at the tense scene and asked me what was going on.
I grabbed her by her good arm, whisked her out as quickly as I could, telling her that I had just started WW III.
So much for polite conversation ;-)
Nina
Jul 9th, 2006, 02:08 AM
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Correction ....I should have worded that differently. Actually, I don't know if the woman was really 'on the other side'. I'm sure that she wouldn't have admitted it if she was.
From what she said. and her open hatred of the Resistance, she admittedly followed the rules of the occupation, and made no waves.
Nina
From what she said. and her open hatred of the Resistance, she admittedly followed the rules of the occupation, and made no waves.
Nina
Jul 9th, 2006, 02:30 AM
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The correct pronunciation is /bofɛ̃ʒe/, which sounds roughly like “bow-fan-jay,” where <i>bow</i> rhymes with <i>row</i> and the ‘j’ in <i>jay</i> is soft, as it is in <i>measure</i>.
