The lesson states " either de or pour is colloquial with abstract nouns (votre compréhension, patience, gentillesse...), with merci de being a bit more elegant.
I don't get the sense of this statement.
If both are colloquial then what is the formal way of expressing " Thank you for your understanding".
Hi Tom, I guess what that means is that either de or pour are used in spoken French with abstract nouns. The use of pour being more colloquial and de being more elegant/formal.
-- Chris (not a native speaker).
Of course I get that.
I'm just pointing out the imprecision of the statement. Colloquial use does not equate with the spoken language but is rather a Register within the spoken language.
As far as I am aware a word or phrase cannot possess the duality of being both colloquial and formal.French speech with pour being colloquial and de being formal.
Perhaps I'm just being obtuse, but as aspiring linguists we should strive for precision in language.
The English is a bit imprecise. I interpreted as "colloquial" meaning "used in spoken French", irrespective of register.
-- Chris.
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