Walt's Daughter et alia !!!
I am now corresponding with Veronique in French because I welcomed her here in her own language and now she has asked if I would help her with her requests postings etc. My policy is to be right up front and therefore I wanted all to know what I was doing with no subterfuge. The why of how I can do this is outlined below.
I attended one of the oldest High Schools in the United States and it had probably one of best possible faculties of any High School. Almost every teacher had at least one Masters Degree and some had more.
From an economic stance, I had a snowball's chance in Hell of ever going to college at this time but I was put there hoping for a college scholarship but that never materalized because I entered the Army less than a year after I graduated at age 17. In the courses I took, I had to study the following languages French,German,Latin,English. In the French course, it was total immersion in the third and fourth years and if God forbid you forget how to ask to go to the latrine you were in trouble.
We were required to read books,newspapers,write assignments etc. all in French-NO ENGLISH!!
Since I did go into the Army less than a year after High School and then went to France,I continued to use what I had learned and now with 9 grandchildren many of whom are studying French they come to me for help and I am forced to keep up to date on the language.
The same was true of my German but for some reason I preferred French. Canada is not that far away and although they speak Quebecois, actually a slang, it is a place to keep up my French which they call the "Old French" but they read,write etc. in that type French.
Here's an anecdote from my interrogator's days:-
We were questioning a Belgian man that was to provide us with some info on the Kraut units in the area. Don't remember why but the conversation began in German and that being the weaker of my two languages I "sidemouthed" to the Capt. with me that I was going to switch to French which I did. Without blinking an eye, the Belgian guy also switched and off we went again. Maybe an hour or so later I said to the Capt. that I was unable to continue since I was so tired. We were in a hairy spot. The Belgian guy started to laugh and said to me "Sgt. for such a young GI you are probably as good as any BUT!!!!..... It turned out he was a Rhodes Scholar,a Major in the Belgian Intel and spoke 7 languages like a native. Damn near shot him but the Capt. said that wouldn't do even if he did test us as long as he did. He was a big help to us but I always felt inadequate around him because I saw him switch from one language to another in the middle of a sentence.
Rambling again but at my age I can get away with it(LOL)
Sgtleo 
