Rochelais ?

[Pete Laubscher]

I am stumped on 'rochelais'. The online dictionary says: Sorry, the word rochelais was not found.

But it appears in this tweet on Figaro:

"Courage à Olivier Falorni qui n'a pas démérité, qui se bat aux côtés des rochelais depuis tant d' années dans un engagement désintéressé."  - -- Valerie Trierweiler.

I have a rough idea that VT is supporting Ségolène Royal's opponent - but 'rochelais' is a nut I cannot crack.

Could anyone plse translate the sentence?   Thnks.

[George Hunt]

"Olivier Falorni who has proved himself worthy, who has fought selflessly for the people of La Rochelle for so many years"

kindly translated for us by the BBC.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-18406390

I am getting the impression that words to describe (town) place of origin ,like rochelais and parisien don't always need to be capitalised although it seems more common.

[Pete Laubscher]

Much obliged George.

 

On second thoughts, I suppose I should have guessed! What with "...aux côtés des rochelais."

 

Thnks!!

 

PS. Yup, German loves that too. Very confusing. There you have a capital starting a silly noun followed by a noun name in lower case!

[KARIM BEN]

Hi Peter,

A londoner lives in London, a New Yorker lives in NYC and a Rochelais lives in La Rochelle -a French city-.

 

Regards,

                          Karim

[Pete Laubscher]

Thnks Karim!

[stu harris]

The appellation for the inhabitants of a town or city is called its demonym in English, gentilé in French. Wikipedia gives many of them, and Rochelais[e] is in the French version. I must admit that would have stumped me, too.

[Pete Laubscher]

 

Brilliant, thnks Stu.  Thnks for making feel a bit better - thought I was a bit stupid.

 

BTW, that odd post about me wanting a GREEK(!) online dictionary - can you help? These chaps aren't only averse to paying taxes. Even their online efforts appear to be dodgy. (Sorry to any Greek Frenchman!) My Oxford Modern Greek dictionary by Pring isn't always up to date.