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Learn French with a podcast snippet! This clip is from Géopolitique Episode from 20 April 2015: “Le drame des réfugiés et les questions à nous poser”. Listen and fill in what you hear below. Read more and find a translation below. Find the full podcast here.
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The above audio sample and transcription is from Géopolitique Episode from 20 April 2015. We do not own the content. The opinions expressed in this podcast snippet are the speaker’s own. We do not own this content, it is for learning purposes only. Listen to the entire episode here.
All the rest
It’s interesting to hear the expression, “all the rest is words and bandages”. I wonder if this is the speaker’s own expression, or if it’s similar to “thoughts and prayers” in the US. Which is an “action” for politicians without having to do anything except say or tweet. Not to get too political, simply wondering from a linguistic and cultural POV, of course!
I don’t want to get into the political, but it is tough with a piece like this. This person has a lot of opinions. Then again, every talk show in France seems to show so many very-opinionated people. Again, observing.
I’m less opinionated, some people call me diplomatic. Simply looking to connect with people in this world, in the short years we’re here. I’m open to others opinions, but seldom get too opinionated.
That’s also what brings me to languages, the more I can learn about other cultures, and connect with people across borders, the more interesting life seems to be. It’s part of the adventure.
This podcast is a bit of older news, but still an interesting listen. Please note, the opinions expressed in this voice essay are not mine, I just want to use it for learning purposes.
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La réponse, la seule, la vraie, est qu’on ne limitera ces flux qu’en s’attaquant à leur cause, qu’en réduisant l’anarchie en Libye, pays d’où partent la plupart de ces bateaux, et qu’en s’attelant à résoudre les conflits à l’origine des guerres proche-orientales. Tout le reste n’est que mots et pansements, moyens de se donner bonne conscience avant de repasser à autre chose et là se pose la troisième question.
The answer, the only true one, is that these flows can only be limited by tackling their cause, by reducing the anarchy in Libya, the country from which most of these boats leave, and by working to resolve the conflicts at the root of the wars in the Middle East. All the rest is just words and band-aids, a way to ease one’s conscience before moving on to something else, and therein lies the third question.
The above French text translated with Deepl.
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ces flux
s’attaquant (se attaquer)
la plupart
s’attelant à résoudre
proche-orientales
mots et pansements
bonne conscience
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