How did the early reader treat the "French" in the Poirot Novels?

MichaelHall

I am in the early stages of a Poirot project - acquiring all the novels and reading them chronologically - writing reflections and then plan to leave teh whole thing as a "legacy" to my grandchildren / future generations. Really enjoying both the acquisition and reading process !

I am wondering how the early readers would have accommodated the "French language" elements?

It exposes my lack of understanding who would have read the material among other things.

Did they have an understanding of the language? 

Did they bypass these words?

Would they have looked them up?

I guess the same question is equally valid for today's readers ?

In seems that in the written word (rather than screen / TV) this understanding carries more understanding of the story?

Any thoughts / input would be greatly appreciated 

Tommy_A_Jones

I remember whaen I started out I sometimes bypassed words and when My Brother was around asked hi what phrases like mon ami and Mon dieu meant, I have fprgotten at the moment but one means My God and The Other means My Dear I think or My Friend.

MichaelHall

Mon Dieu = my God

Mon ami = my friend

Tommy_A_Jones

Thank you Michael Mon ami

tudes

I don't know nowadays, but I suppose that in the early decades of XX century ( 1920's, 1930's) it wasn't unusual people speak or at least know a bit french (at least people who go to school and it's good to point out that the education it wasn't so spread through all the social classes as nowadays).
I think these words give a "mark". They characterize Poirot. You read them and think "that's Poirot" or "that's a Poirot's line" and at the same time, they link you to the character (Poirot). So, I think even when you don't understand what these words mean, you get a connection to the text and to Poirot (you "feel the whole picture).

MichaelHall

Thank you - an interesting insight and something that I agree is part of the character

It raises a new question I guess - who or what is paramount - the story (which woulo be helped by understanding of the words) or the character Poirot ?

I think there are times when the character maybe took over !

Tommy_A_Jones

I have never understood how Characters can take over, I understand how you might get so absorbed in a book and enjoy it more than Life and you can talk about them as if they were real People but I can't understand how a Caracter can take over for the Writer which is what happened with Clancy in Death In The Clouds 

maryamalbulushi

I still consider myself an early reader and to be honest I just skip the French phrases because they don't matter to me as long as I can understand the book without them

Tommy_A_Jones

That is exactly what I did.

MichaelHall

I decided (after reading the Poirot and Me book) that I would like to try and understand more about the Poirot character that had been created and how he progressed over time. I don't pretend to get every last nuance but it has added a dimension to my Poirot project that I have found interesting and enjoyable