Fuel-efficient cars (like Mrs. B's new baby) aren't the only things going "hybrid" these days, a blend of old and new.
Apparently my fellow French students and I have starting speaking "hybrid" French in our quest to transition to fluency in our "new" language (although we've all been at this for years -- and years -- and it's not so new anymore).
Me, whispering in English to Melissa while our teacher Martine was explaining something to two other students:
"What's the French word for 'toddler'?"
Melissa, making a face as she seriously considers the question (given that she HAS a toddler at home), replies also in English -- with one small exception:
"Hmmm... I don't know if there's a mot for that."
Both of us: practically rolling on the floor laughing at how absurd it sounded and how it just popped out of her mouth.
She's not alone. Yesterday at the consulate I'm pretty sure I was doing the hybrid French thing, English for a few words followed by a few French words, all mixed together in the same sentence.
The scary thing is that I've also started doing it, without realizing until the words have already slipped from my lips, around people who don't even speak French.
