World Hum’s Most Read: May 10-16

What We Loved This Week: ‘The Zen of Bobby V,’ ‘When the Levees Broke’ and Arriving With Our Baggage

How Bad is the Violence in Mexico?

Tony Horwitz Blogs From the Road

Tony Horwitz: Rediscovering the New World

Ben Keene talks to the author of the new book “A Voyage Long and Strange” about travel, American myths and the importance of visiting places where “history happened”

In Patagonia, In Patagonia

Tim Patterson packs his fleece and long underwear, and enters the Twilight Zone where corporate branding meets the multilayered reality of place. 

Should I Quit Law School so I can Travel the World?

Vagabonding traveler Rolf Potts answers your questions about travel

‘The Worst Guidebook Writer Ever’?

Lonely Planet author Robert Reid reviews Thomas Kohnstamm’s “Do Travel Writers Go to Hell?” and weighs in on the controversy surrounding it

Have a Hockey Night in Canada

From Montreal to Sault Ste. Marie, the sport is the country’s greatest passion. Eva Holland explains where to go to indulge—and who you need to know.

Promised Land Closed

And other odd and unlikely signs from around the world. Aficionado Doug Lansky, editor of the book “Signspotting,” recounts his 10 favorites.

10 Sizzling Hot Travel Tips From Sir Francis Bacon

Rolf Potts repackages the 17th century philosopher’s ‘Of Travel’ essay in the manner of a 21st century magazine feature

R.I.P. Miles Kington, King of ‘Franglais’

Great post keep them coming

http://www.JohnDennerRocks.com

I had no idea that Franglais/Frenglish could be traced so clearly to a particular person. I have vivid memories of a sixth-grade teacher telling us that “Franglais, c’est une insulte aux deux langues.” (Frenglish is an insult to both languages.)

Hi Jim:

If “Franglais” is spoken by native English speakers attempting “le mot juste,” then we need a good term for Frogs tackling Britspeak. My vote is for “Englench.”

I think the most famous practitioner of Englench would be the chain-smoking pop singer Serge Gainsbourg, whose raspy and witty “Bonnie and Clyde” was mostly in French. Peter Sellers’ respectably zany “Inspector Clouseaux” also was a safe bet for mangling the language: “Do you have a hrooom?”

Anyway, the French sense of humor is different from ours. The French regard Jerry Lewis as a genius--yeah, he was good in “The Nutty Professor,” but come on. A typical example of a French joke, which I gleaned while living abroad there for a couple years, is the fact that “etrangers” sometimes mispronounce “beacoup.” Instead they say “beaucuille” (sp?), which apparently means “nice ass.” I guess that would be amusing to a kindergartener, but to a sophisticated highbrow crew of American and British humor writers the reaction would be tantamount to a polite suggestion that their cousins across the Channel stick to cooking and exporting plonk.

However, in southern France, I knew a British expat who told me that once at the beach he ordered a “matelot” instead of a “matela”; in other words, he ordered a sailor instead of a floating mat. This is not exactly as funny as the French film “Monsieur Hulot’s Holiday,” but worthy at least of a dry chuckle and poignant tear.