Tuesday, April 21, 2009

Ecoutez, s'il vous plaît. Je vais lire de mon roman Français.

Une bouteille de lucioles
*
Mes amis ...

This is a short audio file (5 mins exactement) of me reading the first few paragraphs of the (first draft) introduction to my French novel: Une Bouteille de Lucioles (A Bottle of Fireflies) ... which I've mentioned plusieurs fois on this blog.

For those who don't know, I'm currently learning French in evening classes at UWI. One day late last year I was inspired to start writing this novel. I felt it would be a more interesting way of practising, learning and remembering French ... rather than just going along with what was in the text book used in the class. At first I was compelled by it and couldn't stop writing. Then other aspects of life gradually took over and I slowed down ... and haven't been that consistent lately. In fact I've not written anything in ages. As a result, I've only reached Chapter 2. Maybe doing this will stir me to continue.

Please keep in mind (especially those who are French or who speak it fluently :) ... the written words and my delivery of them here are not an exercise in 'perfection'. For now they are what they are and it is a 'casual' reading. My intention is simply to share a first draft snippet of mon roman with you. Peut-être il y aura des fautes ... and I admit that my French pronunciation/reading isn't that hot ... mais anyone who speaks French will understand, which is the important part.

Peut-être this will be an encouragement to anyone out there who thinks they need to be 'perfect' before doing something and sharing it with others. Please don't think so. We all start somewhere, growing as we go and, hopefully, feeling comfortable enough to share something of ourselves along the path of our evolution.

Ecoutez.


This week's Sunday Scribbling's topic is 'Language'








3 comments:

Lynn Cohen said...

Elpeth, I will watch the video later when I have five free minutes, but wanted to say I loved hearing your words: we don't need to be perfect before doing something...we all start somewhere...growing as we go...
This is so how I feel about my art making...If I had compared myself to others at the gallery this weekend I would have stopped trying any new media...but I won't, I may have skid to a halt with some (watercolors) but I'll try again...whether I have enough years left to live to become as good as some I saw there remains to be seen...but I do love that I do not have to be perfect and I have always professed this. Thanks for agreeing.

Kimberlie said...

Sounds good even though I didn't "understand" a word.

Elspeth said...

Thanks. Lynn, it's not a video. It's just a photo.