TextualHealing

I just learned a new phrase last week 'Auberge Espanol'. It means a bring and share meal -or what (I think) Americans call a 'pot-latch'. I wasn't paying attention and was looking forward to 'aubergines a l'Espagnole'!

Novocastrian

That may well be the phrase in some dark and forgotten corners of America, but "pot-luck" is a better translation.

TextualHealing

Indeed I Googled pot latch today - its something complete different.

Chatter Static

It is also a French film from around 2002....

dmu

My family only knows the expression as a place where different nationalities congregate, e.g. an international flat-share.
On the other hand, a google search found
Définition auberge espagnole | Dictionnaire définition français | Reverso
which indicates two interpretations, one being the original "eat and drink what you bring" as per a pot luck meal, and the other the concept as per the film.
Now, back to preparing our Réveillon, and a Happy Christmas to all!

Chatter Static

You too........

Tweedpipe

And from myself, a Happy Christmas and prosperous 2016 (if Flamby allows) to all BE expats in France.





And a few Christmas howlers you can share with the (very young) kids:

- What do you get if you cross Father Christmas with a detective?
Santa Clues!

- What do the reindeer sing to Father Christmas on his birthday ?
Freeze a jolly good fellow!

- What's Father Christmas called when he takes a rest while delivering presents ?
Santa pause !

- What do you get if you cross Santa Claus with a duck?
A Christmas quacker!

- Why is Santa Claus so good at karate?
Because he has a black belt!

What did Mrs Claus say when she looked up at the sky?
"It looks like rain, dear!"

Santa's sleigh broke down on Christmas Eve. He flagged down a passing motorist and asked, "Can you please give me a hand?"
"Sorry", the motorist replied, "I'm not a mechanic, I'm a chiropodist."
"Oh, in that case", replied Santa, "Can you please give me a toe!

With apologies! That's the last time I buy Christmas crackers for the jokes........
TP.

dmu

This reminds me of a couple in a pub, arguing about the weather with a Communist friend. The husband insists it's going to snow, the friend insists it's going to rain, he can feel it in the air. After a long shaggy dog story, the wife turns to her husband and says, "he's right you know.....
Rudolf the Red knows rain, dear".

Tweedpipe

Ouch! That's worse than the cracker howlers........

TextualHealing

I teamed up with my local hiking group last weekend and was slightly offended when one of the members asked if I was a la / en retraite. It was only when I spoke to a French friend today that I learned that is a very significant difference between the two!
'A la retraite' means on your pension
'En retraite' means taking a break.

Those prepositions can make a hell of a difference!
Sorry for the lack of appropriate accents in this posting

Tweedpipe

Interesting. Personally I've never heard the expression relating to 'taking a break', and I'd never use it myself in that sense. I suggest that it may be a specifically regional expression.
One often hears 'retraite' in films used in a military sense, as in to 'beat a retreat'.
Otherwise it's use is primarily connected with retirement. Not having googled them, but I wouldn't be surprised if both 'A la retraite', & 'En retraite' throw up a reply associated with retirement.
If you happen to be a mature looking gent, I propose you shouldn't be concerned as to how this was addressed to you. On the other hand if your appearance obviously suggests a young man, you may have a problem which needs to be dealt with.......
Could be interesting to hear DMU's take on this as he's been in France a few years (think he may even have shared a bedsit with Gustave Eiffel).......

dmu

My olde-worlde dictionary gives both expressions as meaning "retired". The military sense and a retreat (in the spiritual sense) are also given, but not "taking a break"....
I can't think of a suitable rejoinder on the spur of the moment (re Eiffel), except that I'm a "she"!
While I'm here, the exclamation "chiche!" has no connection with chick peas, but is the equivalent of "You dare!".

Novocastrian

As you can imagine, I didn't quite have the self confidence to post that myself, but IMHO the terms are synonymous.

Tweedpipe

Whoooops! My bad. Of course you are, I should have remembered that from previous postings.
Which has me thinking, I'm starting to regret that I never shared a bedsit with Mme Eiffel.
(Makes me smile, because a jovial work colleague in the same office as myself, always used to introduce me to visitors by saying, "Mr XX here, has been in aviation for so many years, he even lent his goggles to Louis Blériot for his first flight across the channel!")

TextualHealing

Well it was a native French speaker (University educated) who pointed out the difference the to me!