When in French: Love in a Second Language

Author

Lauren Collins

Back Cover

“A language barrier is no match for love. Lauren Collins discovered this firsthand when, in her early thirties, she moved to London and fell for a Frenchman named Olivier—a surprising turn of events for someone who didn’t have a passport until she was in college. But what does it mean to love someone in a second language? Collins wonders, as her relationship with Olivier continues to grow entirely in English. Are there things she doesn’t understand about Olivier, having never spoken to him in his native tongue? Does “I love you” even mean the same thing as “Je t’aime”? When the couple, newly married, relocates to Francophone Geneva, Collins—fearful of one day becoming “a Borat of a mother” who doesn’t understand her own kids—decides to answer her questions for herself by learning French.”

Our Thoughts

I’ve seen this book for years so I was excited to finally pick it up. While it is described as a memoir (which it is in a way), it didn’t read quite as I expected. Collins uses her personal life and her relationship as a launching pad to describe the process of learning new languages and exploring different cultures. It all begins when Collins, an American living in London, meets her now husband, a Frenchman, and they eventually move to Switzerland. I did enjoy learning more about francophone Switzerland as my only personal experiences have been in the Germany-speaking areas. I found it interesting to hear various tidbits and how different the towns and villages near the France-Switzerland border are. However, it would be wrong to say this book only discusses French culture and language because Collins digs much deeper into the word of linguistics. There was so much information on language itself, words, meanings, cultural significance and how we use language differently around the world. To be honest, I found the title a bit misleading because this book is much more than an expat figuring out how to communicate in a new language and fit in a new environment. This is deep dive into language, culture and the sometimes frustrating realities of a bi-cultural relationship.

Genre:

Memoir, nonfiction, expat literature