WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:02.580 align:middle line:90% 00:00:02.580 --> 00:00:03.660 align:middle line:90% What little I can do. 00:00:03.660 --> 00:00:06.030 align:middle line:90% [AUDIENCE LAUGHING] 00:00:06.030 --> 00:00:10.680 align:middle line:84% This is The French Lesson, a poem from my second book. 00:00:10.680 --> 00:00:13.320 align:middle line:90% 00:00:13.320 --> 00:00:15.063 align:middle line:90% The French Lesson. 00:00:15.063 --> 00:00:16.230 align:middle line:90% "He's looking for the woman. 00:00:16.230 --> 00:00:16.800 align:middle line:90% What woman? 00:00:16.800 --> 00:00:17.430 align:middle line:90% The woman. 00:00:17.430 --> 00:00:20.190 align:middle line:84% This country is rapidly becoming industrialized. 00:00:20.190 --> 00:00:23.070 align:middle line:84% We're going out, he doesn't lie, she's punishing herself. 00:00:23.070 --> 00:00:26.610 align:middle line:84% He's serving you succeed, he feels bad when you go out. 00:00:26.610 --> 00:00:27.690 align:middle line:90% How is the weather? 00:00:27.690 --> 00:00:30.990 align:middle line:84% It's lovely, it's hot, it's cold, chilly, et cetera. 00:00:30.990 --> 00:00:33.270 align:middle line:84% What is the subject of this comedy? 00:00:33.270 --> 00:00:36.360 align:middle line:84% He's a man who likes to listen to himself talk, almost 00:00:36.360 --> 00:00:37.650 align:middle line:90% without wanting to. 00:00:37.650 --> 00:00:40.410 align:middle line:84% This means, like the other time, the whole day 00:00:40.410 --> 00:00:42.150 align:middle line:90% long, beautiful horses. 00:00:42.150 --> 00:00:45.510 align:middle line:90% His or her beautiful hair. 00:00:45.510 --> 00:00:48.630 align:middle line:84% These things have nonetheless a natural value. 00:00:48.630 --> 00:00:52.530 align:middle line:84% When he was young, he used to sell newspapers. 00:00:52.530 --> 00:00:55.350 align:middle line:84% Crocodiles used to be, formerly were, abundant, 00:00:55.350 --> 00:00:56.220 align:middle line:90% used to flourish. 00:00:56.220 --> 00:00:58.710 align:middle line:84% He was repeating facts are facts. 00:00:58.710 --> 00:00:59.790 align:middle line:90% What facts? 00:00:59.790 --> 00:01:00.870 align:middle line:90% He is calling. 00:01:00.870 --> 00:01:03.090 align:middle line:90% His name is very useful. 00:01:03.090 --> 00:01:06.600 align:middle line:84% Every day, every two days, he no longer brings. 00:01:06.600 --> 00:01:07.740 align:middle line:90% We were alone. 00:01:07.740 --> 00:01:08.700 align:middle line:90% His merit. 00:01:08.700 --> 00:01:11.310 align:middle line:84% He enjoys the respect of his friends. 00:01:11.310 --> 00:01:13.140 align:middle line:90% They aren't speaking. 00:01:13.140 --> 00:01:14.340 align:middle line:90% He's calling Henry. 00:01:14.340 --> 00:01:15.690 align:middle line:90% His name is Henry. 00:01:15.690 --> 00:01:20.080 align:middle line:84% In Memphis, one finds temples where they were adored. 00:01:20.080 --> 00:01:22.230 align:middle line:90% He nonetheless left, has left. 00:01:22.230 --> 00:01:25.080 align:middle line:84% Moreover, she remained, has remained. 00:01:25.080 --> 00:01:27.030 align:middle line:90% We fell, have fallen. 00:01:27.030 --> 00:01:29.430 align:middle line:90% Fortunately, he did not fall. 00:01:29.430 --> 00:01:32.670 align:middle line:84% Toward the end, his talk became obscure. 00:01:32.670 --> 00:01:34.980 align:middle line:84% She said her glass down suddenly. 00:01:34.980 --> 00:01:37.390 align:middle line:84% He talked so much that his listeners left 00:01:37.390 --> 00:01:39.300 align:middle line:90% toward the end of his speech. 00:01:39.300 --> 00:01:40.920 align:middle line:90% She looked away. 00:01:40.920 --> 00:01:43.840 align:middle line:90% They wanted to leave early. 00:01:43.840 --> 00:01:46.200 align:middle line:84% The implication here, but the choice of the compound, 00:01:46.200 --> 00:01:48.900 align:middle line:84% past tense, as opposed to the imperfect 00:01:48.900 --> 00:01:51.420 align:middle line:84% is that they did indeed leave early, i.e. 00:01:51.420 --> 00:01:52.830 align:middle line:90% The action was completed. 00:01:52.830 --> 00:01:55.950 align:middle line:84% Contrast is Ils voulaient partir de bonne heure = 00:01:55.950 --> 00:01:57.480 align:middle line:90% They wanted to leave early. 00:01:57.480 --> 00:02:00.690 align:middle line:84% Where there is no such indication of completion 00:02:00.690 --> 00:02:04.830 align:middle line:84% or realization of desire, all we know is that they wanted to. 00:02:04.830 --> 00:02:08.729 align:middle line:84% We don't know whether they did, in fact, leave early. 00:02:08.729 --> 00:02:12.780 align:middle line:84% In the above experiments, light acted as a chemical agent. 00:02:12.780 --> 00:02:18.420 align:middle line:84% When I entered, went in, came in, they were playing cards. 00:02:18.420 --> 00:02:19.980 align:middle line:90% We are ambitious. 00:02:19.980 --> 00:02:22.490 align:middle line:90% But we are also tired." 00:02:22.490 --> 00:02:37.000 align:middle line:90%