Michel Levieux

Background

Michel Levieux was born in France.

Career

Michel Levieux is a teacher in France who has collaborated with his wife, Eleanor, on several books that are intended to familiarize English-speaking students of French with the more subtle colloquialisms not commonly taught in the classroom. Their first book, Cassell's Beyond the Dictionary in French: A Handbook of Everyday Usage (1981), later revised as Cassell's Colloquial French, is admittedly not a comprehensive guide, but it collects and thoroughly explains many common, modern-day terms and phrases that travelers to France may encounter. The book is divided into several sections, including short chapters on pronunciation and special sections addressing common terms used in such areas as occasions involving common courtesy, banking, housing, and gender usage.

Levieux and his wife have compiled a completely new guide to the French language titled Insiders' French: Beyond the Dictionary (1999). As with their previous guide to colloquial French, Insiders' French addresses the need for students to go beyond the usual language lessons to understand modern French society in its current context. Such issues as the current state of women's rights, health care, technology, the media, and political issues as they relate to the increasing complexities of French societies are addressed in this guide, knowledge that is necessary if a native English speaker is to understand the underlying meanings of French vocabulary.

Achievements

• Michel Levieux is an outstanding educator and a prolific author. His and his wife's works received positive acclaims from both critics and readers.

Works

More photos

• book

  • Cassell's Colloquial French: A Handbook of Idiomatic Usage 1990
  • Insiders' French: Beyond the Dictionary 1999

Connections

Michel married Eleanor Ross on October 31, 1961. They have two daughters, Patri­cia de Cortanze and Valérie.

Wife:

Eleanor Levieux

Daughter:

Patri­cia de Cortanze Levieux

Daughter:

Valérie Levieux