Should Picard have had a bit more of a "French personality"?

[Canuck69]

Picard lead a group of children in the song "Frère Jacques" (brother john) and he had a very brief conversation in french with Wesley.

During the episode "Family" I assume that the entire time Picard is with his family in La Barres they're all speaking french.

I thought the conversation with Wesley was in Latin.

 

[scorpius1701]

Picard started out pretty French. He surrendered in the first episode.

 

[iguana_tonante]

^ See what I mean?

 

[Whoa Nellie]

Picard lead a group of children in the song "Frère Jacques" (brother john) and he had a very brief conversation in french with Wesley.

During the episode "Family" I assume that the entire time Picard is with his family in La Barres they're all speaking french.

I thought the conversation with Wesley was in Latin.

I remember it being Latin as well. (I can't check it at the moment because my youngest has taken over the TV playing with the Wii.)

Picard started out pretty French. He surrendered in the first episode.

Now, that was funny!

Warmest Wishes,
Whoa Nellie

 

[Ensign_Redshirt]

Picard doesn't have to be "more French".

Maybe he should have been a bit less British though. This was clearly the case of the actor's nationality overshadowing the character's nationality. Maybe they should have acknowledged this by giving Picard a half-French/half-British background.

 

[Ryan Thomas Riddle]

From the first season bible, dated March 23, 1987:

Born in Paris, France, Picard betrays a gallic accent only when deep emotions are triggered. Otherwise, since ethnic accents are no longer common, he carries only a touch of French phrasing in his speech. In discussions with friends, he pretends to believe that France represents "the only true civilization" to appear on Earth -- and it delights him when a witty companion wants to prove the same for England, Italy, or China.

This explains his earlier ethnocentric comments in the first season, particularly in "Code of Honor". However, Stewart's delivery of that dialogue--"Mr. Data, for centuries, the French culture..."--makes it seem that Picard is actually bragging rather than pretending or teasing.

 

[Pseudo]

I don't ever recall him wearing a beret or a black-and-white horizontally-striped shirt.

He never threw his meal across the room declaring that the replicator had the cooking abilities of a milibrained microwit.

And despite having a highly developed Klingon sense of smell Worf never once complained that he stunk of Garlic.

Picard is obviously from an ex-pat British family who have lived in France for a few generations.

 

[Arpy]

^ Nice name, "Pseudo"...

 

[LaBarre]

I would have liked a bit more French-ness, also. Like quoting from Albert Camus instead of Shakespeare, for example. Geez, have him eating a croissant every once in awhile! At least he enjoyed wine from the family vineyard.

I remember a number of the breakfasts with Crusher where he appears to be hoking into a croissant, spreading jam or marmalade or some such on it. Haven't got all the episodes sorted, though one was when Vash interrupts the breakfast (I know Whoa Nellie will come to the rescue here). I think the other was The Perfect Mate.

 

[Whoa Nellie]

I would have liked a bit more French-ness, also. Like quoting from Albert Camus instead of Shakespeare, for example. Geez, have him eating a croissant every once in awhile! At least he enjoyed wine from the family vineyard.

I remember a number of the breakfasts with Crusher where he appears to be hoking into a croissant, spreading jam or marmalade or some such on it. Haven't got all the episodes sorted, though one was when Vash interrupts the breakfast (I know Whoa Nellie will come to the rescue here). I think the other was The Perfect Mate.

Hi, LaBarre.


In the 4th season episode "Qpid" it certainly appears that the breakfast Picard and Vash share is indeed coffee and croissants.

Warmest Wishes,
Whoa Nellie

 

[DevilEyes]

Is it just me or have the sphincters on this board really tightened up?! If there is no room for silliness in life what's the point?!

Um, nope. It simply wasn't funny. Just stupid, unoriginal and predictable. Stupidity doesn't equal humor.

 

[iguana_tonante]

Is it just me or have the sphincters on this board really tightened up?! If there is no room for silliness in life what's the point?!

Um, nope. It simply wasn't funny. Just stupid, unoriginal and predictable. Stupidity doesn't equal humor.

And given his "USA!!!" location field, I bet he will be the first up in arms when someone talks disparagingly of the mighty and rightful United States of America. But, you know, that's different.

 

[Pseudo]

Is it just me or have the sphincters on this board really tightened up?! If there is no room for silliness in life what's the point?!

Um, nope. It simply wasn't funny. Just stupid, unoriginal and predictable. Stupidity doesn't equal humor.

And given his "USA!!!" location field, I bet he will be the first up in arms when someone talks disparagingly of the mighty and rightful United States of America. But, you know, that's different.

Yeah I know, stupid yanks!

 

[iguana_tonante]

Yeah I know, stupid yanks!

I never made disparaging generalizations like that. That's the point.

 

[Whoa Nellie]

There seems to be posts here that are determined to make what should be a simple, fun thread about the direction of a character into a topic more suited for TNZ.

To get this thread back on topic:

I would have liked a bit more French-ness, also. Like quoting from Albert Camus instead of Shakespeare, for example. Geez, have him eating a croissant every once in awhile! At least he enjoyed wine from the family vineyard.

I remember a number of the breakfasts with Crusher where he appears to be hoking into a croissant, spreading jam or marmalade or some such on it. Haven't got all the episodes sorted, though one was when Vash interrupts the breakfast (I know Whoa Nellie will come to the rescue here). I think the other was The Perfect Mate.

Hi, LaBarre.


In the 4th season episode "Qpid" it certainly appears that the breakfast Picard and Vash share is indeed coffee and croissants.

Warmest Wishes,
Whoa Nellie

LaBarre,

Also, croissants are discussed in the episode "Attached." In that episode Crusher and Picard discuss how what Picard really likes is a simple breakfast of coffee and croissants.

Warmest Wishes,
Whoa Nellie

 

[Char Aznable]

Um, nope. It simply wasn't funny. Just stupid, unoriginal and predictable. Stupidity doesn't equal humor.

Says you.

Frankly, jokes about the French surrendering never gets old, so quit being butthurt about it. Humor is subjective after all.

I never made disparaging generalizations like that. That's the point.

This topic isn't about America though. Its about Picard and his Frenchness. Obviously, jokes about the French surrendering are going to come up. Get over it. Seriously.

Also, to answer the topic's question, I suppose it would have been alright. It never really bothered me though. I always assumed that accents would have blended in somewhat by the 24th century as would cultures in general.

 

[David cgc]

I don't ever recall him wearing a beret or a black-and-white horizontally-striped shirt.

Nor did he wear an onion on his belt, which was the style at the time.

 

[iguana_tonante]

Frankly, jokes about the French surrendering never gets old, so quit being butthurt about it. Humor is subjective after all.

If I were entertained by low-brow remarks, I wouldn't go around flaunting it, you know.

I never made disparaging generalizations like that. That's the point.

This topic isn't about America though. Its about Picard and his Frenchness. Obviously, jokes about the French surrendering are going to come up. Get over it. Seriously.

Thank you for the head up. I will take note of that and the next time someone posts a topic about an American character, I will jump in it to make completely pointless and offensive jokes about some perceived cultural characteristics, like appreciation for low-brow remarks, for example. Humour is subjective, after all.

 

[T J]

Um, nope. It simply wasn't funny. Just stupid, unoriginal and predictable. Stupidity doesn't equal humor.

And given his "USA!!!" location field, I bet he will be the first up in arms when someone talks disparagingly of the mighty and rightful United States of America. But, you know, that's different.

Yeah I know, stupid yanks!

Wow... just wow. Sorry exclamation points after USA offends you. If it bothers you may I suggest you get over it? Your bigoted attitude tells more about you than you know. I did make a stupid off hand joke which never deserved this much attention but these remarks just go to show you are exactly what you are attempting to ascribe to me. I'd pity you but I don't pity ignorant bigots.

 

[TheQman]

Frankly, jokes about the French surrendering never gets old, so quit being butthurt about it. Humor is subjective after all.

If I were entertained by low-brow remarks, I wouldn't go around flaunting it, you know.

I never made disparaging generalizations like that. That's the point.

This topic isn't about America though. Its about Picard and his Frenchness. Obviously, jokes about the French surrendering are going to come up. Get over it. Seriously.

Thank you for the head up. I will take note of that and the next time someone posts a topic about an American character, I will jump in it to make completely pointless and offensive jokes about some perceived cultural characteristics, like appreciation for low-brow remarks, for example. Humour is subjective, after all.

I think everyone is getting a little too uptight......about these type of comments. I mean come on, it is just a joke on a trek forum.

And this comment really struck me funny from Arpy "And I meant what I posted earlier. I don't feel like hanging out here for five hours every day, reading through hundreds of threads and thousands of replies, to get what I could have gotten in one hour, dozens of threads, a hundred replies."

If you don't want to hang out here for five hours reading thousands of replies....just don't....read a couple, post and move on.

Anyway, I think picard had just enough French moments.