After 26 years I can still do it.

[reynardo]

I tracked down a rare DVD the other day. The only copy I could find was on Amazon France, and the website details didn't have enough information to tell me if there were subtitles in English.

So I dredged up my 26 year old HSC-failing French, and asked:

Greetings, et bonjour. Je voudrais cette achtere pour un ami en Australie, mais elle ne
parle pas le Francais, et moi, je le parle comme une vache Espagnol. Est-ce qu'il y a
des soustitles Anglais? Et s'il vous plait, pardonne moi pour les mots terrible,
parce-qu'il y avais vingt-cinq ans jusqu'a je suis un etudiant de Francais.

Si vous pouvez responder en Anglais, je vous remercie beacoup.

And today I received the lovely reply from "Cecile" (why does that not surprise me).

Dear sir

Yes, there are English subtitles on ********* (Name deleted to protect the recipient).
I really like your French !

Yours sincerely

C�cile

So.

I can still write in French, but I come across as a man. Joy. Oh well, the news is good, the order has been placed, I just hope that none of the large amount of Small Print that came through in French involved sacrificing one's youngest son. Although...

And then

, you're now logged in!

Below you'll find your test result. After, continue on to your
homescreen to discover what we're about.

continue to OkCupid homescreen >

THE CREATURE You are: 20 % suffering terrible loneliness, 26 % no longer in control of yourself, and 80 % ruled by evil lustfulness!

You are THE CREATURE FROM THE BLACK LAGOON; the human-fish hybrid who existed happily in the lagoon of the title for many years until a group of scientists attempted to capture it. You are happy with most aspects of your life but maybe seek someone 'special' to complete you. If you've just reached this page and your name is 'Gil' then that's really funny.

Link: The Which Classic Monster Am I Test written by Drykid on OkCupid, home of the The Dating Persona Test

The bit about the name being "Gil"? I needed that laugh.

Comments

[hacked2death.livejournal.com]

What's the DVD? I was that close to buying the Mysterious Cities of Gold from Amazon France, but it was dubbed in English and French at the same time It was being made, and thanks to Babelfish, found out it only had French and no subtitles available.

[darkwing22.livejournal.com]

oooo.. i downloaded the eps of MCOG the other week for a friend... all in english and such... its a darn pitty they havnt released in aust!

[hacked2death.livejournal.com]

Not even available in the UK or the US. I think it's got something to do with legal issues...

[darkwing22.livejournal.com]

yeah it is tyed up in legal stuff....
but theres a guy that sells the illegal copys of the friech dvd dubed with the old subtitles....

[lokicarbis.livejournal.com]

Oh please please please tell us what film is this? :)


*puppy eyes*

[reynardo.livejournal.com]

I'll let you know as soon as the recipient has received it.

[waitingman.livejournal.com]

"If you've just reached this page and your name is 'Gil' then that's really funny"

Ha ha!!

I scored as the Creature as well...

[reynardo.livejournal.com]

I scored as the Creature as well...

That's no way to speak of sarin_girl!!!!!

[waitingman.livejournal.com]

That's AS... not WITH

And I was so hoping to be the Invisible Man...

[mr-figgy.livejournal.com]

I took a picture of the fellow who donned the original Creature costume; did I show it to you? He was at FanConExpo 2006.

[wingedkami.livejournal.com]

My French is only 10 years old and I doubt I could have written that. I could read it though. Mind you, I managed to read an LJ post in Dutch once.

You speak like a Spanish cow?

[reynardo.livejournal.com]

It's apparently the standard insult to tell someone they speak French like a Spanish cow. I figured I needed to apply it first :-)

[panacea1.livejournal.com]

It's times like this I really wish I'd taken some French. Although I understood enough of that to believe bits of the Spanish and Latin stuck.

... Spanish cow. Okay.


(what I need to learn is how to explain, in French, Spanish, and two kinds of Chinese, that Delivery takes at least 30-60 days after pick up (with situational variations) and that they need to talk to the Shipping Department in English if they want more information...)

[shadow-5tails.livejournal.com]

Felicitations, cherie! That was rather nicely done.

Could it have been the masculine "un etudiant" that gave the impression of your possessing Y-chromosomes, I wonder? I'm a little too brainfogged to remember, but I presume it can be feminised...

Looking forward to hearing what the mystery movie is, once it's surprised its recipient.

[reynardo.livejournal.com]

Of course! That's it! Dern it - *knew* I'd missed something.

Will gladly tell you when the DVD arrives.