Join us on Bastille Day for a friendly, low-key dive into the world of French language and culture, and its many influences on English. Led by fellow AEJ Belgium member and translator Julian Hale, this informal session is part mini-talk, part cultural exchange, part quiz night — with plenty of room for your own input.
We will start with ‘Honni soit qui mal y pense’ (also the name of a wonderful book by Henriette Walter) and why it is on British passports to this day…
📅 Monday 14 July · 6:30–8:00 PM
📍 Press Club, 95 Rue Froissart, 1040 Brussels
🤝➕💡Free · Small contribution welcome (e.g. €10)
What to expect:
- A short, relaxed talk (10–15 min) on the historical impact of French on English — from the Norman Conquest to today’s “déjà vus” and “rendez-vous”.
- A few of Julian’s personal favourites from French culture: sports, cinema, Voltaire, and of course, Astérix!
- A roundtable-style chat, where participants can share:
- Their favourite French word or expression
- A film, book, dish, or cultural quirk they love
- Examples of cross-linguistic influence (from French to English, or the other way around!)
- A light-hearted quiz (10–20 questions) to test your Franglais prowess — prizes: eternal glory and bragging rights.
This is not a formal lecture. Just a relaxed, slightly improvised, and fun celebration of everything we love (or love to hate) about French.
Come for the words, stay for the wine (or at least good company).
RSVP either to this message or directly to Julian: julianahale@gmail.com
For this event, Julian Hale and AEJ Belgium would like to thank the Press Club for hosting it and the CBTI (Chambre Belge des Traducteurs et Interprètes) for its support in spreading the word!
