Re: French touch published in the Parisian newspaper, Le Monde.
- From: Jane Margaret Laight <jml27515@xxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Fri, 27 Jun 2008 14:57:44 -0700 (PDT)
On Jun 27, 12:39 pm, The Highlander <mich...@xxxxxxx> wrote:
On Jun 27, 9:20 am, The Highlander <mich...@xxxxxxx> wrote:> Scots adore the French accent. I am in the middle of verifying that in
an Edinburgh station which has handed over train announcements to one
Vincent Houplain. Travellers are crazy about it, it seems: nothing
could be "sexier" than than this French voice, judged very "romantic".
The person in question has been nicknamed ""
(Sorry, accidently posted before finishing)
"Inspecteur Clouseau" , a reference to the hero of the film, The Pink
Panther.
It's not just a matter of pronunciation. What pleases French people in
general is the authenticity of the accent.
There is a way of saying, "the train from Fraserburgh is arriving at
the station", or "Attention, the 7:12 for Kirkudbright is about to
depart" which can't be faked. Romantic, yes, but above all,
authentique.
If the Scots are willing to pay for it, we can offer them a great deal
more, announcements in Breton, in Alsatian, in Basque, in Catalan, in
Occitan... Neither the French Academy (which regulates the French
Language), or the Senate will be opposed to the exportation of these
regional languages. Scotland herself, if she wants to, can enshrine
them as national languages in her constitution.
(To allow our experts a crack at my loose translation, the original is
posted below):
ES ÉCOSSAIS adorent l'accent français. On est en train de le vérifier
dans une gare d'Edimbourg, qui a confié l'annonce de ses trains à un
certain Vincent Houplain. Les voyageuses en sont folles, paraît-il :
rien ne serait plus « sexy » que cette voix frenchie, jugée très «
romantique »... L'intéressé a été surnommé « Inspecteur Clouseau », en
référence au héros du film La Panthère rose.
Il ne s'agit pas seulement d'une affaire de prononciation. Ce qui
plaît chez les Français en général, c'est leur accent de sincérité. Il
y a une manière de dire : « Le train en provenance de Fraserburgh
entre en gare » ou : « Attention, le train de 17 h 12 en direction
Kirkcudbright va partir » qui ne trompe pas. Romantique, oui, mais
surtout authentique.
Si les Ecossais sont prêts à payer, nous pouvons leur offrir beaucoup
mieux : des annonces en corse, en breton, en alsacien, en basque, en
catalan, en occitan... Ni l'Académie française ni le Sénat ne seraient
opposés à l'exportation de ces langues régionales. L'Ecosse peut même,
si elle le souhaite, les inscrire comme patrimoine national dans sa
Constitution.
By Robert Solé, Le Monde.
oh wow--now I have heard it all; I am surprised that he hasn't made it
on Youtube or anywhere currently available--some of the other articles
call Monsieur Houplain "tres sexy"--the French are taking it in
stride, as they usually do--"well, you know, he _is_ Fraunch, you
know", but I'm pretty certain it wouldn't work in the States; some
ould fart will be swinging his cane at the loudspeaker trying to get
him to shut up...
What does work, though, are British accents--in Pennsylvania station
in NYC, I have been tickled by station announcers and dispatchers who
ain't murkin-born; so far I have run into a number of Caribbean folk,
one young man from Bradford, Yorkshire, a young Afro-Brit from
Cardiff, of all places, and more than a few Irishers--but no Scots; I
wonder why?
Here's another take on M. Houplain:
Railway station announcer’s accent proves a hit
Commuters enjoy a little French fancy
By Lucinda Cameron
Published: 18/06/2008
A French railway station announcer is proving a hit with commuters
because of his exotic accent.
Passengers at Edinburgh’s Haymarket Station have been amused to hear
Vincent Houplain announcing Scottish destinations over the Tannoy
system in his French accent.
The 45-year-old Frenchman learned Scotland’s placenames while working
onboard trains, and now enjoys his job announcing departures to towns
such as Inverkeithing, North Queensferry and Glasgow.
He told BBC Scotland: “I think it is fun. As long as the people are
smiling I’ve earned my day with that. It’s better to have people
smiling.
“I have a nickname at the station – people call me Inspector Clouseau
and I am very pleased with it because being compared to Peter Sellers
is a plus.”
Mr Houplain, from La Rochelle on the Atlantic coast, had always wanted
to work at a train station and joined First ScotRail in late 2005.
At the time there was no post available at a station, and he accepted
a vacancy in on-board hospitality.
He said: “I had a very happy year travelling across Scotland and
visiting places like Arbroath, Perth, Dunkeld and Birnam.
“That’s when I learned the geography of Scotland and got to know all
those wonderful names which I now announce to the world at large. It’s
great.”
He fulfilled his ambition by becoming a trainee despatcher in November
2006 and is now a fully-qualified train despatcher, whose role
includes making announcements.
A First ScotRail spokesman said: “Vincent is very popular with our
customers. He really connects with people. He is a superb communicator
– with a wonderful accent. Vincent puts a real smile on faces – both
male and female.”
Mr Houplain moved to Scotland nine years ago after meeting a Scottish
woman, whom he later married.
JML
Viatora Scotia
.
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