Today’s idiom: faire sauter la grenouille
Welcome idiom lovers (or haters, for the masochists out there). Today we’re analysing: faire sauter la grenouille, manger la grenouille / make off with the kitty First things first: this idiom hasn’t...
View ArticleToday’s idiom: s’emporter comme une soupe au lait
Today’s journey into the world of idioms tackles: s’emporter (or “monter”) comme une soupe au lait / to have a short fuse First things first, it has to be said that today’s choice of idiom in no way...
View ArticleToday’s idiom: se mettre sur son trente et un
Today we say hello and what on earth do you mean to a new idiom. This time we have: se mettre sur son trente et un / to put on your Sunday best; dressing up to the nines To be perfectly honest I...
View ArticleToday’s idiom: à couteau(x) tiré(s)
Today’s idiom: à couteau(x) tiré(s) / to be at loggerheads This phrase stems from the days when dispute resolution consisted of drawing your dagger (le poignard or la dague) and hoping you were quicker...
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Today’s idiom: Tomber de Charybde en Scylla
Another day, another idiom. This time we’re entering Greek mythology as we tackle: tomber de Charybde en Scylla / from the frying pan into the fire. Some French idioms are either very similar to their...
View ArticleToday’s idiom: en faire tout un fromage
I’ve interpreted lots of difficult speeches as an interpreter, some packed full of statistics, others read out at speed. And sometimes all in the same speech. Definitely one of those days when you...
View ArticleUniversity of Geneva commercial contracts course
Although I specialise in translating tourism, wine-related texts and corporate communications, I sometimes translate contracts too. This may seem an odd choice for someone who works on more creative...
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The Age of Sustainable Development course begins
I recently began a 14-week online course delivered via the Coursera online learning website. The course is taught by senior UN advisor and Director of the Earth Institute, Jeffrey Sachs. The course is...
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The Age of Sustainable Development course: halfway review
As promised, here’s a brief look at the past eight weeks of my “The Age of Sustainable Development” course. Rather than a detailed breakdown of what I’ve learned, I’m going to share what has had the...
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BOND Conference 2016: a translator’s view
In the early hours of Monday 29 February I travelled to London to attend the NGO industry’s largest event, BOND Conference 2016. BOND is the UK international development network, and this was the...
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