News from your French Language & Cultural Center in Sacramento

Le mouton

NOM MASCULIN
Le mouton est un animal domestique destiné à l'élevage pour sa laine, sa chair, sa peau et son lait avec lequel on fabrique des fromages. Il proviendrait du Moyen Orient et du croisement d'un Urial (mouton sauvage) et d'un Mouflon.

Le mouton est habituellement blanc, mais il peut être brun, noir ou gris. On tond la laine des moutons 1-2 fois par an. Selon la race, le mouton donnera de 2 à 8 kg de laine par année. La laine de mouton conserve la chaleur même si elle est humide. La durée de vie du mouton est d'une dizaine d'années.

Mais quelle est la différence entre mouton, brebis, bélier et agneau ?

Mouton est le terme général et peut indiquer le mâle châtré de cette espèce. Le mâle non châtré est appelé bélier. La femelle du mouton est appelée brebis. Dès l'âge de huit mois, ils sont prêts à se reproduire. Après une gestation de 150 jours la femelle donnera naissance à 1 petit agneau (rarement plus) qu'elle allaitera pendant 3-5 mois.

Sheep (Mouton) is a domestic animal intended for breeding for its wool, flesh, skin and milk with which cheese is made. It would come from the Middle East and the crossing of a Urial (wild sheep) and a Mouflon.

Sheep are usually white, but they can be brown, black, or gray. Sheep wool is sheared 1-2 times a year. Depending on the breed, the sheep will give 2 to 8 kg of wool per year. Sheep wool retains heat even if it is damp. The lifespan of the sheep is about ten years.

But what is the difference between mouton, brebis, bélier, and agneau?

Mouton is the general term and may indicate the castrated male of this species. The un-castrated male is called a bélier. The female of the sheep is called a brebis. From the age of eight months, they are ready to reproduce. After a gestation period of 150 days the female will give birth to un agneau (rarely more) that she will nurse for 3-5 months.
Le mouton à cinq pattes
Personne ou chose extrêmement rare, exceptionnelle
Les moutons n'ayant cinq pattes que dans le cas d'anomalies génétiques, une personne qualifiée comme telle serait ainsi une véritable perle rare, une personne exceptionnelle. Cette expression aurait été popularisée par le film éponyme d'Henri Verneuil, sorti en 1954.
Sheep having five legs only in the case of genetic abnormalities, a person qualified as such would thus be an exceptional person. This expression has become popular by the eponymous film by Henri Verneuil, released in 1954.
Revenons à nos moutons
To get back to the original subject
Revenir au sujet dont on parlait. C'est la comédie "La Farce du Maître Pathelin" (XVe siècle), auteur inconnu, qui est à l'origine de cette expression. Le héros, Pathelin trompe le marchand Guillaume pour lui acheter à bas prix un drap. Au moment de payer, Pathelin feint d'être mourant et de délirer. Guillaume se demande alors si lui-même ne délire pas et si la transaction a réellement eu lieu. Guillaume va ensuite être trompé à nouveau par le berger Thibault, qui lui vole tous ses moutons. Il décide de porter ces deux affaires devant le juge mais finit par confondre les draps et les moutons, tant et si bien que le juge, agacé, lui demande fermement de "revenir à ses moutons". Depuis, l'expression a subsisté et a conservé son sens originel.

Get back to the subject we were talking about. It's the comedy "La Farce du Maître Pathelin" (15th century) which is at the origin of this expression. The hero, Pathelin deceives the merchant Guillaume to buy him a sheet at a low price. When it comes time to pay, Pathelin pretends to be dying and delirious. Guillaume then wonders if he himself is not delirious and if the transaction really took place. Guillaume will then be deceived again by the shepherd Thibault, who steals all his sheep. He decides to bring these two cases before the judge but ends up confusing the sheets and the sheep, so much so that the judge, annoyed, firmly asks him to "get back to his sheep". Since then, the expression has survived and retained its original meaning.
Jouer à saute-mouton
To play leapfrog
Surprisingly no frogs in the French version!
April 5 – June 13, 2021

NEW WORKSHOPS - FRENCH A LA CARTE
Improve your listening comprehension, pronunciation, and ability to capture nuance and ambiguity in French.

5 Mondays, April 26-May 24
5:00 pm - 7:00 pm

Discover the rhythm and musicality of French with les Fables de Jean de la Fontaine.

Deceptively simple, captivatingly complex, the fables of Jean de la Fontaine constitute a profound meditation on the nature of power and powerlessness. They also provide excellent case studies for studying and practicing the prosody of French—that is, the qualities of rhythm and intonation that make French sound the way it sounds. 

Open to students with Level A2+
Instructor: Megan
Manières de table : scènes de repas
dans le cinéma français

A course designed for foodies, cinephiles and all those interested in watching and discussing French films in their original language.

Series of 5 every other Wednesday
2:30pm-4:00pm

With its rules of etiquette, its pacing, its customs and traditions, the meal is as much a social ritual as a culinary practice. Through a selection of short clips drawn from contemporary French films, this conversation series will explore the nuances of French dining culture and what the way we eat says about us. Come and join us for an opportunity to improve your French, discover some great French movies and chat about food.
Discussion will be based on in-class viewing of short clips and reading of transcribed dialogues, so no advance preparation is required to participate. Clips and transcriptions along with discussion questions will be posted in advance on the course page for those who wish to familiarize themselves ahead of time.

All clips and readings will be provided in class and via course page.

Open to students with C1+ level of French or higher.
Instructor: Camilo
The Fantastic Journey of Margot and Marguerite
AVAILABLE TO WATCH IN THE U.S.: Friday, March 26 @ Noon PST → Monday, March 29 @ Noon PST

Part of the Sacramento French Film Festival's 2021 French Film Friday Series.
Buy tickets here:

The SFFF is happy to offer a special 20% discount to the members of the Alliance Française de Sacramento. The discount code will be emailed to current members. 
MEET THE DIRECTOR! Join our Zoom Discussion with director Pierre Coré on Sunday, March 28 @ Noon PST!
Soirée Cinéma
Friday, April 9
Please join us from 7-8pm on Friday, April for the Alliance Française de Sacramento’s next online Soirée Cinéma discussion! Our April film is The Climb (L’Ascension)

How to participate:
  • Pre-watch the film – available on Netflix
  • RSVP to info@afsacramento.org before noon on Friday, April 9. The Zoom link will be sent to you by 5pm.
  • Please click on the Zoom link a few minutes before 7pm to make sure you don’t have any technical problems.
  • We will start with a short presentation about the film and then open it up for a lively guided discussion in English.

Film description:
The Climb (L’Ascension)
Director: Ludovic Bernard
France 2017
Starring: Ahmed Sylla, Alice Belaïdi, Kevin Razy, Nicolas Wanczycki, Waly Dia, Umesh Tamang
Genre: Comedy, Romance,
Running Time: 105 min


How far would you go for the one you love? For Samy Diakhate (Ahmed Sylla) it’s the top of Mount Everest. After professing his love for Nadia (Alice Belaidi) he gets rejected because she is after a commitment and someone serious, unlike the unemployed Samy. He soon says he loves her so much he’d climb Everest for a kiss and a deal is made (even if she didn’t believe him at the time) and Samy begins his journey to the summit of Everest despite not having any mountain climbing experience prior.
Online Event
French Influence in West Africa:
A Brief History of Côte d'Ivoire

Sunday, April 25, 2021 @ 1:00pm

Lecture by Ghassane Habib. In English, followed by a Q&A
$10 for any AF Member; $20 Non-Member
Presented by the Alliance Française de Fresno
Teens: Come and join us for a fun conversation in French!

This informal French online conversation group is for teens aged 15-18, at high school level and looking to practice with other French speaking teens. This is the place to practice in a relaxing and fun atmosphere!

Vous vous préparez pour le baccalauréat International (BI) ou l’Advanced Placement (AP)? Ces conversations vous seront utiles!

It's FREE! Please register by 4 pm April 13.
The participation link will be sent once registration closes. À bientôt! 

Our next conversation
Wednesday April 14, 2021
6:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Les Conversations du Jeudi
Thursdays 11am-12pm Via Zoom

Practice your speaking and listening skills, make new friends, and have fun!

AF Sacramento membership REQUIRED to join!

To participate:
RSVP your name to info@afsacramento.org

Login information to access your virtual Conversations du Jeudi group
will be emailed to you.
Le coin des découvertes
Pèlerinage impressionniste en 8 lieux mythiques

La propriété de Claude Monet à Giverny, refuge du plus célèbre des impressionnistes de 1883 à sa mort en 1926, est un vrai lieu de pèlerinage. Dès les premières floraisons du printemps, les touristes du monde entier se pressent dans son jardin...

Read more
www.beauxarts.com
Découvrez la musique raffinée de Jean Mouton (1459-1522)

Revenons à nos moutons...
Jean Mouton « chantre des souverains de son temps » fut l’un des musiciens les plus influents de la cour de France qu’il ne cessera de servir, d’Anne de Bretagne, de Louis VII et de François Ier. Il devient également le compositeur préféré du duc de Ferrare et était tenu en grande estime par le Pape Léon X.
CLARA's Corner
We hope you enjoy this e-newsletter.
Feel free to send us your comments and feedback.

Bon weekend à tous! Stay safe!

Bien cordialement,
L'équipe de l'Alliance Française de Sacramento
DVD LIBRARY at AF Sacramento
Did you borrow a DVD from us prior to the shutdown? Please mail them back to us at your earliest convenience. No fines during this grace period. If you're in the neighborhood, you can drop them by too (email for entry information).
Sources:
https://www.bestioles.ca
https://www.linternaute.fr/dictionnaire/fr/definition/mouton/#expression
https://lefrancaisentrequatzyeux.blogspot.com/2017/04/mouton-belier-brebis-et-agneau-quelle.html
The Alliance Française de Sacramento is
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and receives no subsidies.