I’m Learning French From A Murderer
2008 April 2
Last night my French teacher at the Alliance Française said that she learned every English largely from listening to Elvis Presley. While this seemed dopey at the time, I now realise that I’m learning everyday French from a murderer. Bertrand Cantat, lead singer of Noir Désir, writes some of the best emotionally intense lyrics that I've ever come across in either language – all written with a very everyday diction and grammar. He was also jailed in 2004 for beating to death his girlfriend and one of France’s most famous new actresses, Marie Trintignant.
(I could have said I was learning French from a hot Parisian babe – photos – but no one would have believed me)
What? I am Dopey?
Of course not but I’d never thought of listening to popular music as a way of learning the language. It struck me as a little odd. Now I can’t stop listening to french music. It’s a great way of learning français parlé.