# Allons enfants de la Patrie....happy Bastille Day! **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [July 13, 2008, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/allons-enfants-de-la-patrie-happy-bastille-day/456376 "2008-07-13T23:47:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Cunctator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/43a26b/32.png) [@Cunctator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cunctator)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2008, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/allons-enfants-de-la-patrie-happy-bastille-day/456376/1 "2008-07-13T23:47:26Z")
As I got off the bus on the way to work this morning I heard the martial strains of the French national anthem being sung. A group of young French pilgrims, in Sydney for this week’s World Youth Day celebrations, seemed to be having a combined prayer breakfast/Bastille Day celebration in one of the city parks. It all looked very jolly. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2008, 12:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/allons-enfants-de-la-patrie-happy-bastille-day/456376/2 "2008-07-14T12:42:05Z")
[La Marseillaise](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_Marseillaise) - probably the most kick-ass anthem in the world! Victor Laszlo would be proud. ---
**Author:** ![Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/le_ministre_de_l_au-dela/32/12181_2.png) [@Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Le_Ministre_de_l_au-dela)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2008, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/allons-enfants-de-la-patrie-happy-bastille-day/456376/3 "2008-07-14T13:13:31Z")
Ah, mes amis, quel jour de fête!!! And a lovely bottle of virtual Beaujolais to the first doper who can tell me what Louis XVI had to say about July 14, 1789… ---
**Author:** ![Ellen\_Cherry](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellen_cherry/32/3600_2.png) [@Ellen\_Cherry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellen_Cherry)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2008, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/allons-enfants-de-la-patrie-happy-bastille-day/456376/4 "2008-07-14T13:22:52Z")
Today’s also my mother’s birthday, and all the while I was growing up my father, a lawyer but also a college history major, would always say to me, “Ellen, Bastille Day approachth!” Which meant he needed help picking out a gift for Mom. 😛 As for Louis XVI, maybe he’d say, “Happy Birthday Ellen’s Mom!” ---
**Author:** ![An\_Gadai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@An\_Gadai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Gadai)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2008, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/allons-enfants-de-la-patrie-happy-bastille-day/456376/5 "2008-07-14T13:36:39Z")
**Aprés nous, le déluge!** ---
**Author:** ![Baldwin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baldwin/32/7264_2.png) [@Baldwin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baldwin)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2008, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/allons-enfants-de-la-patrie-happy-bastille-day/456376/6 "2008-07-14T16:52:03Z")
Don’t know any actual French? No problem! > [@Mel Brooks](#): > > Madame DeFarge: We are so poor, we do not even have a language! Just this stupid accent! > > Revolutionary: She’s right! We all talk like Maurice Chevalier! ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2008, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/allons-enfants-de-la-patrie-happy-bastille-day/456376/7 "2008-07-14T17:22:00Z")
_Geddy Lee guitar solo_ Happy Batille Day Everyone! ---
**Author:** ![Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a587f6/32.png) [@Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freddy_the_Pig)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2008, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/allons-enfants-de-la-patrie-happy-bastille-day/456376/8 "2008-07-14T20:25:17Z")
I downloaded a performance of the Marseillaise a while back, with alternating soloists and chorus, and in the refrain sometimes they sing “Marshone” (rough phonetic rendering) and sometimes “Marshane”. Which is it supposed to be? > [@Le Ministre de l'au-delà](#): > > And a lovely bottle of virtual Beaujolais to the first doper who can tell me what Louis XVI had to say about July 14, 1789 . . . “Today, nothing”. Although some people seem to dispute that “rien” in this context means nothing. Not knowing French, I’m not in a position to comment, but it seems weird that such a common word would be ambiguous. I believe that he also said, at least once, “It’s good to be the king.” ---
**Author:** ![Mighty\_Girl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7bcc69/32.png) [@Mighty\_Girl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mighty_Girl)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2008, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/allons-enfants-de-la-patrie-happy-bastille-day/456376/9 "2008-07-14T20:27:55Z")
[QUOTE=Northern Piper] [La Marseillaise](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_Marseillaise) - probably the most kick-ass anthem in the world! [/QUOTE] Certainly, and one I learned at school. … le jour de gloire est arrivé! ---
**Author:** ![Mighty\_Girl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7bcc69/32.png) [@Mighty\_Girl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mighty_Girl)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2008, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/allons-enfants-de-la-patrie-happy-bastille-day/456376/10 "2008-07-14T20:31:10Z")
[QUOTE=Freddy the Pig] I downloaded a performance of the Marseillaise a while back, with alternating soloists and chorus, and in the refrain sometimes they sing “Marshone” (rough phonetic rendering) and sometimes “Marshane”. Which is it supposed to be? [/QUOTE] _Marchons, marchons!_ Let’s march, let’s march! - ETA: I should have known there was a Wiki entry for everything. > **[La Marseillaise](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_Marseillaise)** > > "La Marseillaise"\[a\] is the national anthem of France. It was written in 1792 by Claude Joseph Rouget de Lisle in Strasbourg after the declaration of war by the First French Republic against Austria, and was originally titled "Chant de Guerre pour l'Armée du Rhin" (War Song for the Army of the Rhine).\[b\] > The French National Convention adopted it as the First Republic's anthem in 1795. The song acquired its nickname after being sung in Paris by Fédérés (volunteers) from Marseille marching to th... \* ---
**Author:** ![An\_Gadai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@An\_Gadai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Gadai)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2008, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/allons-enfants-de-la-patrie-happy-bastille-day/456376/11 "2008-07-14T20:34:31Z")
Why are there trees on the Champs-Elysées? To provide shade for the marching German soldiers. _runs_ ---
**Author:** ![Sierra\_Indigo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f0a364/32.png) [@Sierra\_Indigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sierra_Indigo)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2008, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/allons-enfants-de-la-patrie-happy-bastille-day/456376/12 "2008-07-14T20:44:37Z")
God help me, but I snickered at that. ---
**Author:** ![Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a587f6/32.png) [@Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freddy_the_Pig)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2008, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/allons-enfants-de-la-patrie-happy-bastille-day/456376/13 "2008-07-14T21:24:47Z")
[QUOTE=Mighty\_Girl] _Marchons, marchons!_ Let’s march, let’s march! [/QUOTE] But what about the pronunciation? Is it “marshane” or “marshone”? ---
**Author:** ![ratatoskK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ratatoskk/32/2987_2.png) [@ratatoskK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ratatoskK)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2008, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/allons-enfants-de-la-patrie-happy-bastille-day/456376/14 "2008-07-14T21:32:52Z")
There was a block party in Harvard Square yesterday and they were flying the tricolor! ---
**Author:** ![rowrrbazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rowrrbazzle/32/414_2.png) [@rowrrbazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rowrrbazzle)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2008, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/allons-enfants-de-la-patrie-happy-bastille-day/456376/15 "2008-07-14T21:56:53Z")
[QUOTE=Freddy the Pig] But what about the pronunciation? Is it “marshane” or “marshone”? [/QUOTE] It’s “Marchez” (mahr-shay), the second person imperative, making it a command. “March!” “Marchons” is the first person imperative, approximately “Let us march!” or “Let’s march!”. ---
**Author:** ![clairobscur](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/839c29/32.png) [@clairobscur](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clairobscur)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2008, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/allons-enfants-de-la-patrie-happy-bastille-day/456376/16 "2008-07-14T22:07:47Z")
[QUOTE=Freddy the Pig] “Today, nothing”. Although some people seem to dispute that “rien” in this context means nothing. Not knowing French, I’m not in a position to comment, but it seems weird that such a common word would be ambiguous. [/QUOTE] I can’t see any other interpretation. ---
**Author:** ![clairobscur](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/839c29/32.png) [@clairobscur](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clairobscur)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2008, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/allons-enfants-de-la-patrie-happy-bastille-day/456376/17 "2008-07-14T22:16:00Z")
[QUOTE=olivesmarch4th] _Geddy Lee guitar solo_ Happy Batille Day Everyone! [/QUOTE] Actually, I’m unhappy with Bastille Day. Sarkozy invited quite a lot of foreign heads of state and governments, and amongst them the Syrian and Egyptian presidents, something I find particularly inappropriate on a day supposed to celebrate the fight against tyranny. I even find it insulting for all those people who, during the last two centuries, died for freedom. I’m mightily pissed off :mad: :mad: :mad: ---
**Author:** ![trupa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/aeb1de/32.png) [@trupa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/trupa)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2008, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/allons-enfants-de-la-patrie-happy-bastille-day/456376/18 "2008-07-14T22:29:19Z")
[QUOTE=clairobscur] Actually, I’m unhappy with Bastille Day. Sarkozy invited quite a lot of foreign heads of state and governments, and amongst them the Syrian and Egyptian presidents, something I find particularly inappropriate on a day supposed to celebrate the fight against tyranny. I even find it insulting for all those people who, during the last two centuries, died for freedom. I’m mightily pissed off :mad: :mad: :mad: [/QUOTE] Perhaps you can drench your furrows with their tainted blood! 😉 FWIW, CBC radio here has noted your above displeasure, and is reporting on it as part of its coverage of the “Mediterranean Summit” - **trupa** , randomly bellowing “Form **EEZZ** vos **B** ataillons!” today. PS.: Félicitation à tous les Français! ---
**Author:** ![Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/le_ministre_de_l_au-dela/32/12181_2.png) [@Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Le_Ministre_de_l_au-dela)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2008, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/allons-enfants-de-la-patrie-happy-bastille-day/456376/19 "2008-07-15T00:00:10Z")
[QUOTE=Freddy the Pig] “Today, nothing”. Although some people seem to dispute that “rien” in this context means nothing. Not knowing French, I’m not in a position to comment, but it seems weird that such a common word would be ambiguous. [/QUOTE] Ding, ding, ding, ding, ding! A Winner! and a fine bottle of DOMAINE DE CHAMP DE COUR MOULIN-À-VENT 2005 will appear in your USB port sometime in the next 24 hours! This comment (in his diary) was for years cited as an example of Louis XVI’s profound ignorance of the reality of the situation. It is now thought that he was probably referring to his lack of success in hunting that day, and that he may have been insulated from the news while his ministers tried to come up with a way to cover their asses, something that has never happened since in any political situation. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2008, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/allons-enfants-de-la-patrie-happy-bastille-day/456376/20 "2008-07-15T04:05:11Z")
_“Les hommes naissent en demeurent libres et égaux en droits…”_ I hope everyone had a nice celebration and nobody lost their head over it…😉 **clairobscur** , I’m with y’all on Sarko’s guest list. Sure, the Nation sometimes has to deal with dubious characters, but at least let’s keep appearances on this date. [QUOTE=rowrrbazzle] It’s “Marchez” (mahr-shay), the second person imperative, making it a command. “March!” “Marchons” is the first person imperative, approximately “Let us march!” or “Let’s march!”. [/QUOTE] I too have heard it in performance with “marchez” alternated with “marchons”, [(video)](http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=4716936446540122647&ei=gh58SMPdB6i8-AGsndj_BA&hl=enI) ; and had wondered if that was just an artifact of combining the language with the vocal stylings of the singer, but no, it does seem like they are indeed alternating, even though de Lisle’s lyrics only say “marchons” (The linked performance uses both the first and sixth verse, with the latter repeated by the choir). And as for **Cunctator** ’s OP that’s a nice scene with the youth pilgrims [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/allons-enfants-de-la-patrie-happy-bastille-day/456376.md?page=2)