Frank Gröninger is from Mannheim (a town just 1.5 hours east of the Moselle).
He has lived in France for almost 30 years and over the years, he has had plenty of time to discover the many cultural differences that exist between the two countries.
He has just written a book on the subject, written in French (for the French) and in German (for the Germans), sold on both sides of the border: “Douce Frankreich”.
Like all Germans, it must have taken him some time to realize that there are hundreds of meanings in the word “small”.
Germans who learn French will quickly realize, once in our country, that we always add a little something to each word… and it works with everything.
But why the French add “small” everywhere?
Franck Gröninger, our German in France, took a long time to understand.
But you have to have studied French oddities to really understand everything.
Extract from the book “Douce Frankreich”:
The cafeteria at my work was a real school for me, I learned the importance of the word “little”.
Everything is small in France.
Shall we have a bite to eat? She has a little boyfriend. Shall we take a little break? You give me a little phone call. His little one had a little crisis.
I hadn’t really realized the use of this word until I listened to a conversation between Monique, the lady in the cafeteria, a little curvy blonde who seemed straight out of a room. sketch by Muriel Robin, and Martine, the pearl of the technical service (“As soon as there is a problem you have to call Martine, she finds a solution”):
· – Hello Monique, are you giving me a little Cappou?
· – A big or a little one? The suspense was at its height. Was I finally going to unravel the mystery of the word “small”? For me, Martine had already given the answer, because she had asked “un p’tit cappou”?
I was shaken by the answer:
· – A big one, a big one, you know me coffees, I always take big ones.
· – Oh yes it’s true ! Otherwise it’s going ?
That’s all ? No analysis on “large” or “small”?
The word “small” is therefore a kind of guilt-reliever. We take “a little break” to justify stopping work.
The word “small” is a kind of diminutive that is used to make sentences softer.
Shall we have a bite to eat? Versus Shall we have some food? – less chic.
She has a little boyfriend. Versus she has a boyfriend – more serious.
Shall we take a little break? versus taking a break? – longer.
You give me a little phone call. Versus You give me a call. – more directive.
Her little one had a little fit versus her daughter had a fit. More dramatic.
You have to spend a little time in France to understand this subtlety.