FV 081 : (Part 2) About The Smurfs! With Jean Auquier, manager of the Centre Belge de la Bande Dessinée

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This is the second part of my conversation with Jean Auquier, the manager of the Centre Belge de la Bande Dessinée in Brussels, Belgium – home to many famous cartoonists and characters. This episode focuses on the cutest and tiniest characters of Belgian comic art, the Smurfs (Les Schtroumpfs). How were they born? Why are the Smurfs blue? What makes the Smurfs so popular? Why is the Smurf language so interesting, linguistically and socially? Here are only a handful of the many aspects we’ll discuss in this interview!

Episode Timeline

Part 1

How the Smurfs were born

Why are the Smurfs blue?

Part 2

A linguistic and social look at the Smurf language

La Schtroumpfette, the only female Smurf

Gender of Smurfs

Part 3

What makes the Smurfs so popular

TV and cinema

Cultural variation between countries

The Smurfs after their creator’s death

Part 4

Jean Auquier’s Smurf reading recommendations!

Jean Auquier’s favourite Smurf

Vocab List

agrafer = to staple

album (nm) = comic book

avoir la répartie facile = to be quick-witted, to be quick to respond

barrage (nm) = dam (water)

diminutif (nm) = dimuntive, nickname

en avoir marre = to have enough,to be fed up

être friand,e de = gourmand, fond of

faible = weak

fainéantise (nf) = laziness, idleness, apathy

flamand,e = Flemish

foule (nf) = crowd

long métrage = feature film, full-length film

lutin (nm) = elf, leprechaun; imp

marmite (nf) = caldron

mettre les pieds dans le plat = to put your foot in it/in your mouth

peluche (nf) = plush toy

rameuter = to round up; to mobilize for new activity

récit (nm) = story, tale; account

salsepareille = rough bindweed, common smilax, sarsaparilla

sorcier (nm) = wizard, sorcerer

superpouvoir (nm) = superpower

tire-bouchon (nm) = corkscrew

Questions:

(Part 1) Why are the Smurfs blue?

(part 2) What do cartoonists often listen to while they’re drawing?

(Part 2) When was La Schtroumpfette born?

(Part 3) What year did Peyo die? (You’ll have to do a bit of maths here!)

(Part 4) What’s Jean Auquier’s favourite Smurf? What’s mine?

Answers:

This colour has not already been associated with people…or aliens!

They listen to the radio

In the early 60’s

1992 (Jean Auquier met him in 1989 and Peyo died 3 years later)

Le Schtroumpf Paresseux. Le Schtroumpf à lunettes

Links & Resources

Website: cbbd.be

My article and worksheet “Schtroumpfez-vous français?”: http://frenchyourway.com.au/schtroumpfez-vous-francais

French Your Way Podcast, episode 71: "Position of adjectives (PART 1): “voiture rouge” or “rouge voiture”?" - frenchyourway.com.au/podcast71

French Your Way Podcast, episode 72 : "Position of Adjectives (PART 2): un homme pauvre, un pauvre homme" - www.frenchyourway.com.au/podcast72

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