By Sarah Pinkerton | Staff Writer
Bonjour les ours! In honor of National Foreign Language Week, Le Cercle Français hosted a discussion about the French language and various examples of French music Wednesday night in Old Main.
Attendees met for a round table and first attempted various French tongue twisters. French students from varying levels of experience and knowledge were able to go through the tongue twisters together and attempt to pronounce the different sayings and then translate them.
Houston senior Leah Sobernheim, vice president of Le Cercle Français, hosted the meeting and led attendees through the tongue twisters and discussion.
Sobernheim is a French minor at Baylor. After living in France for five years, she said she was inspired to continue French.
“Foreign languages are very important and when I was living in Europe, a lot of people speak multiple languages,” Sobernheim said. “I feel like in America it’s not as recognized so I think it’s good that we show it’s cool to know a foreign language and celebrate that.”
The president and vice president then provided attendees with French music recommendations with artists such as GIMS, Copines, Indila, Maître Gims and Cœur de Pirate. Attendees watched music videos from each artist and discussed both the songs and the artists themselves.
Attendees then gave their own recommendations for French music and watched various French music videos such as Angèle’s “Tout Oublier” and “La Thune” and Stromae’s “Formidable.”
Brownsville junior Caroline Loop, treasurer of Le Cercle Français, said she got involved with the club in order to maintain her French after taking French classes at Baylor and studying abroad in France.
“I think it’s important for students to have global engagement, engagement with other cultures and it’s also great for opening up job opportunities and also just communicating with others,” Loop said.
Beginning in the United States in 1957, National Foreign Language Week holds the goal of increasing American student’s awareness of foreign language and inspires various universities to host events throughout the week.
Le Cercle Français meets bi-weekly and discusses the French language, music and culture by watching movies and holding discussions. They hold events for April Fool’s Day, Easter, Mardi Gras and Christmas.
They will be hosting a crêpe making social at their next event and welcome both French and non-French students and any individual who enjoys French culture.
