And they’ve acquired their amazing new French skills from Muzzy.” Even more memorable than the French words spoken by that young girl were the English ones spoken by the product’s both grandmotherly and severe pitchwoman: “Yes, that’s French they’re speaking, and no, these children aren’t French, they’re American. Frequently aired and never once updated, it advertised a series of language-instruction cartoons on videotape.
So, surely, have most Americans of my generation, hearing it as we all did over and over again for years in the same television commercial. JE SUIS la jeune fille: though I’ve never formally studied French, I’ve had that phrase stuck deep in my linguistic consciousness since childhood.
