Discover the French names for common stationery and musical items

At school, one probably used paper clips more often than at any other time of life. And the French have a very memorable name for the stationery item: le trombone, because of the obvious resemblance to the brass musical instrument. 

Having a nicely stocked trousse (pencil case) is one of the great joys of school days – or at least it was in days of yore. With today’s teaching methods and the widespread implementation of digital technology, I cannot speak of the average student being especially fond of a fresh, unblemished eraser (une gomme) or of the unfettered pleasure of writing with a fountain pen (un stylo à plume), complete with rechargable ink cartridges (cartouche d’encre – the same word as for those used in a printer for a computer). 

Speaking of music-based words, one French mot that I wish I’d learned at school was the one for a guitar string. When I needed it on a trip to have my bashed up acoustic guitar – with one string missing – spruced up at that most excellent of book, crafts and music retailers, Cultura, I drew an embarrassing blank. 

Handing over my instrument to the vendor, I rummaged in the recesses of my mind for the word, failed miserably and just went with the English in the hope that it would somehow pass muster: “Un nouveau string, s’il vous plaît,” I uttered hopefully, desperately.

He chuckled for a moment, then replied ‘“Vous voulez dire ‘corde de guitare’ je pense.” (You mean guitar string, I think).

Only after having shuffled out of the shop did I realise what I had asked him: ‘Un string’ is the French for ‘G-string’. What’s more, I needed an E string.