French language Q&A Forum

I guess I find most reflexive verbs make some kind of sense in that I can see that an action is performed on oneself (e.g. se laver) or somehow internalized (e.g. s'amuser, se demander), Sometimes however I just need to know how words get formed and se moquer has me puzzled.

Best I can tell, it has been around as a reflexive verb for at least 500 years and probably comes from blowing your nose at someone as a gesture of contempt (vulgar Latin: muccare), as such it makes sense to be reflexive - as of course is the modern se moucher . Other theories are se moquer comes from dutch, german or piedmontese words for mumble, grumble or grimace, which also kind of makes sense as reflexives. BTW the theory it comes from Norman words for 'stirring manure' has been discredited* which is just as well because that wouldn't explain the reflexive

I appreciate this isn't exactly a level A1 question, but I was wondering if anyone out there can confirm or deny my theories?

*Accordng to Tresor de la Lange Francaise

Why in this example "ce qui n'est vraiment pas de chance" do we use être rather than the avoir we usually see with avoir de la chance?

The article says (if I understand correctly) that neither "Il fait soleil" nor "Il fait du soleil" is the proper way to say "It's sunny". So, what is the correct way?

Both mean "exactly."  When do you use which phrase?  Thanks.

"Enfin, les amateurs d'histoire apprécieront le Vieux Bordeaux"

I thought enfin was used when an expected result occurs (foreseeable outcome) and finalement was used for an unexpected result (unforeseeable outcome).  Is there a better way to keep these two words straight? In the above sentence, how would a visitor to Bordeaux know what to expect before actually seeing the city?

I know the following wording may be a bit unusual but can you use this phrasing in a sentence as follows:

I do not much want to speak to them. Would it be "je ne veux pas grand chose leur parler ? OR  Je ne veux pas leur parler grand-chose.

Something I've been noticing throughout the lessons is that there does not seem to be a rise in intonation at the end of the questions in the French pronunciation (see example above in: "Vous ne devriez pas etre a l'ecole"). Instead, the intonation sounds more like a statement. Do the French not have an uplift in intonation at the end of spoken questions?

This particular question and explanation frustrate me a bit because I've seen it so often in other "teaching" apps. It seems to me, perhaps incorrectly, that the lessons should be geared toward the student in NOT assuming that the student knows or will stop to look up the many nuances of what type of shopping one is doing, especially since it often will not be indicated. Since there are two such distinct intents for these "going shopping" phrases, it seems to me that neither "faire les courses" nor "faire les magasins" should be marked incorrect. "The sales are on" does not exclude non-personal-goods locations. In this instance, perhaps a hint needs to be included.

Could somebody tell me the meaning of 'les santons' in this dictée?  The sentence is; j'ai laissé la petite jouer avec les santons