Cinderella’s slipper, in the French original story, was made of very delicate leather called ‘vair’ in French. Vair was much used in medieval times to line and trim robes and shoes, and is thought to come from little squirrels.
Written in French a very long time ago, the story travelled for a while. From written words to spoken words, and back to paper, the slipper became a glass slipper: the French for ‘glass’ is ‘verre’ – and is pronounced exactly the same as ‘vair’.
Then came Disney who made the glass shoe situation permanent.
As communication professionals, we deal with the impact of words, language, and culture on our activities, everyday – from strategy to storytelling, via the choice of media. The slipper story is an anecdote, but meaningful.
My blog is also about anecdotes, reflexions and tips inspired from my experience as a communication expert and professional woman.
I am Muriel Pineau, experienced communication professional & working-mum-of-three with a motto: ‘trust the vision, play with the plan’.
You can also find me on LinkedIn and Twitter
The corporate glass slipper 