一语湖边_lakeshore

 【阅读文摘_文化】Britain's 21st-century French renaissance
【英国21 世纪之法国文化复兴】
【文字 Feature story】


TheStar.com - World - Britain's 21st-century French renaissance

Mitch Potter
Europe Bureau

LONDON–The French and the English may well be the ultimate cats and dogs of world history, two populations whose epic rivalry turned vicious nearly 1,000 years before Jews and Arabs really began to seriously cross swords.

All of which makes the assumption-shattering reality of London, circa 2008, such a triumph of rapprochement. Today's London is not just slightly French, it is so acrawl with émigrés from across the English Channel that it now ranks as a major francophone city in its own right, by some counts the seventh-largest anywhere.

How that translates into hard numbers is difficult tosay. French government officials assess the French population inBritain at 300,000 people, an estimated two-thirds of whom make London their home.

But as European passport holders are under no obligation to register, others suggest a truer figure may be closer to 600,000.

The epicentre of French London is South Kensington, which is today more commonly known as la petite France for its surfeit of patisseries, bistros and francophone schools. Another nickname that is catching on: "Fr'angleterre."

"But it is also known as 'Frog Valley,' which I prefer,"laughs Robert Zaigue, who together with his wife Laure owns andoperates The French Bookshop, an expat oasis founded 15 years ago whenthe northern migration was just beginning.

The Zaigues, nominated in the upcoming Français of theYear Awards for their collective contribution to the French renaissancein Britain, have seen thousands of newcomers cross their threshold looking for a taste of la vie anglaise. They say the phenomenon begins – but does not end – with money.

"The opening of the channel tunnel was the original flashpoint, where suddenly London and Paris are linked by rail in just a couple of hours," said Zaigue.

"But the biggest influence by far is London's emergenceas the leading city for global finance. The major French banks realizedthey had to be here and they sent many of their top people to establishbases. The French 'city boys' became so successful that thousands and thousands followed. Some go back, of course, but many fall so in love with London they will never leave."

To a lesser extent, the migration is reciprocal. But the British drift southward has been driven more by retirees in search of a more agreeable climate in which to live out their active years.

The economic torpor that saw President Nicolas Sarkozy prevail with a promise to bring about "a rupture" withthe past not only keeps working-age Britons at home but also drives thesurge of working-age French northward in search of opportunity.

Centuries of mutual hatred do not fall silently into history's dustbin, which helps explain the shelf of books dedicated to modern cross-Channel contretemps. They include Peter Mayle's best-selling A Year in Provence, the title of which later inspired Stephen Clarke's A Year in the Merde.

In a league of its own is the richly contextual That Sweet Enemy: The French and the British from the Sun King to the Present by Robert and Isabelle Tombs. He is British, she is French and together the husband-and-wife historians crystallize how both nations set out to, in the words of Kipling, "mould the other's fate as he wrought his own."

It is precisely such lingering rivalry thatmakes historian Robert Tombs wonder at the depth of the newfoundrapprochement. But as the U.K.'s economy teeters toward recession, andwith a disproportionately large number of financial sector jobs facing the axe, he expects the answer will soon come.

Said Tombs: "Is it merely a flag-of-convenience or are we seeing a deeper shift in attitudes between France and Britain? The test will be how many people leave when the economy turns. If we see a flood out of London, it will show us the extent to which the old, well-established stereotypes endure."

Zaigue is confident that lasting change has taken holdof expats in Britain, a transformation he says is symptomatic of Franceas a whole.

"The French in London already see the world differently.They are ahead of a similar change that is just beginning in France.Part of it is that we are all coming to terms with the reality that the French language is no longer the bulletin of the world. More and more they are learning English because they have no choice," he said.

"Many older people in France are horrified bythis; many younger people are excited by it because they accept the oldworld is history. And in this new world, the French know what we dowell. We are creative, inventive, talented, artful. We make new things,but we are not so good at selling them, which is what the Anglo-Saxons do very well.

"This combination of Anglo-Saxon and French-Latin, it is very powerful. Nicolas Sarkozy understands this perfectly. That is what the French are doing in Britain."

The combination comes with unique complications,however, which are often dropped in the laps of people like FrancesSieber, head of family law at the London firm Pritchard Englefield.When French marriages fall apart in Britain, says Sieber, one spouse issometimes in for a costly shock when they learn that French civil law, based on the Napoleonic Code, has no bearing in Britain.

"The French men, the bankers, find it difficult to stomach the English approach, where everything including inherited family property is on the table. Their attitude is, `This is my money. I get to keep it,' but then they find out they can get taken to the cleaners."

Arguably, the most impressive facet of French London, meanwhile, is the explosion of upscale French bistros, many of which count among the 40 Michelin-starred restaurants in the capital.

The trend toward French dining has given rise to up-and-coming star chefs like Malcolm John, who is looking to expand his two-bistro operation to satisfy demand for his exceptional cassoulet.

"They want to know what part of France I'm from. And then I have to explain, `No, I'm from St. Vincent in the Caribbean. Not even the French Caribbean, I'm afraid. And no, I never studied in France,'" John told the Star.

"It's a bit hilarious. But that is London in 2008 for you.You don't have to be French to cook French food. All you need is to bepassionate about food and people and be a good craftsman. Thank God,London has gone French. There is no better food, and no better pleasurethan to be the one who creates it."

摘自：Article source:

http://www.thestar.com/printArticle/463480

---

• Words and expressions:
  

1. palatable / delectable delicious luscious savory tasty
2. surfeitTo overindulge. n.Overindulgence in food or drink. The result of such overindulgence; satiety or disgust.An excessive amount.
3. bizarre : Strikingly unconventional and far-fetched in style or appearance; odd. See Synonyms at fantastic
4. dowry / ability endowment genius gift settlement talent
5. triumph conquest success victory winning defea
6. at the threshold of
   在...的开始
   cross sb.'s threshold 走进某人家里
   cross the threshold 跨进门内
   on the threshold 在门口
   on the threshold of 在...的开头, 在...快要开始的时候, 在...的前夕
   stumble at [on] the threshold (事情)刚一着手就搞糟了
7. torpor A state of mental or physical inactivity or insensibility.
8. rivalryThe act of competing or emulating. The state or condition of being a rival.
9. endure bear continue experience feel last persist remain stand stay suffer tolerate undergo
10. facet aspect phase side view
11. upscale Of, intended for, or relating to high-income consumers: an upscale neighborhood; upscale fashions.
12. epic ep.ic AHD:[µp“¹k] D.J.[6ep!k] K.K.[6Wp!k]
    n. An extended narrative poem in elevated or dignified language, celebrating the feats of a legendary or traditional hero.
    A literary or dramatic composition that resembles an extended, narrative poem celebrating heroic feats.
    A series of events considered appropriate to an epic:
    the epic of the Old West.
    adj.Of, constituting, having to do with, or suggestive of a literary epic:
    an epic poem.
    Surpassing the usual or ordinary, particularly in scope or size:
    “A vast musical panorama . . . it requires an epic musical understanding to do it justice”(Tim Page)
    Heroic and impressive in quality:
    “Here in the courtroom . . . there was more of that epic atmosphere, the extra amperage of a special moment”(Scott Turow)
13. pl. bis.tros A small bar, tavern, or nightclub./ A small, informal restaurant serving wine.
14. hilarious / gaygleefuljoyfulmerry
15. pl. contretemps[-tä’z”, -tä’z“]
    An unforeseen event that disrupts the normal course of things; an inopportune occurrence.
    

• Idiomatic usage: (vivid usage )

1. ultimate cats and dogs of world history,
2. make London their home.
3. European passport holders
4. more commonly known
5. fall so in love with London they will never leave."
6. In a league of its own is the richly contextual
7. the husband-and-wife historians
8. facing the axe,
9. old, well-established stereotypes endure
10. find it difficult to stomach
11. up-and-coming star chefs

• Cultural points:

1. that distinctly British trait of cheerily discussing the weatherbut never actually extending an invitation to real friendship.
2. Part of it is that we are all coming to terms with the reality that the French language is no longer the bulletin of the world. More and more they are learning English because they have no choice," he said.
3. Centuries of mutual hatred do not fall silently into history's dustbin, which helps explain the shelf of books dedicated to modern cross-Channel contretemps.
4. "The French men, the bankers, find it difficult to stomach the English approach, where everything including inherited family property is on the table. Their attitude is, `This is my money. I get to keep it,' but then they find out they can get taken to the cleaners."

From Internet source, Study purpose only, Discussion welcome Readers discretion advised! 

约翰雷K. Shaw Burlington, Ca. 2008 080719

You can reach him at:

lakeshore_viewer_2008@yahoo.cn (China)

john.canjourno.2008@gmail.com (Canada)