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FriendlyTen Familiar French Words and Phrases
Those claiming an inability to speak French should reconsider. France
and England have intertwined histories, with much borrowing and lexical
exchange. Today the issue of
French speakers adopting English words is controversial, and
attempts to ban faire de jogging and le fast-food are underway.
In the UK, French words and phrases have infiltrated our everyday
speech. Particularly in the fields of cuisine and the arts, where France
has a strong reputation, Anglophones have taken more than a fair share
of linguistic oddities. Some French expressions are so commonly used we
don't even consider them part of a foreign language.
Students who
learn French in Leeds, London and elsewhere in the UK soon find that
many words in basic French vocabulary are either similar to their
English equivalents, or else have been borrowed directly from French.
This can give learners confidence when faced with the daunting task of
learning a new language (more information on language learning can be
found at
www.uiclanguages.com).
Cafe
From the French word café (coffee), English speakers have the coffee
serving establishment cafe. Cafe culture spread throughout the UK during
the Twentieth Century and is now a prominent feature of any high street.
Ordering a coffee in French is relatively easy for non-French speakers,
whether café au lait (with milk) or café noir (black).
À la Carte
This loan phrase literally means 'according to the menu', and now has
connotations of high quality products in English. Usefully for
monolinguals, the term 'menu' is often used for the same purpose in both
France and England.
Rendezvous
From the French imperative rendez-vous, this expression refers to a
meeting or appointment. French beginners can use the phrase as a memory
aid; the ez inflection on the verb rendez agrees with the plural or
formal second person pronoun vous (you).
Faux Pas
A faux pas indicates a breach of etiquette or convention causing
social embarrassment, from the French 'false step'.
Chic
The adjectival chic equates roughly to the English 'stylish'. Chic
clothing is said to be à la mode (fashionable). The innovation of French
fashion has led to many loan words within this field.
Vin
France is internationally famed for its wine exports. The French term
for wine, vin, is familiar with most people. Likewise, associated words
such as blanc (white) and rouge (red) are commonly found in British
advertising.
Croissant
French food features heavily in English dictionaries. From
croissant, baguette and pan au chocolat, to foie gras and cassoulet,
English speakers should have little difficulty comprehending at least
some items on a French menu.
Critique
Both noun and verb in English, a critique is a critical view of an
act or item. In French, the word also serves as an adjective, equating
to critical. The verb critiquer means to criticise, whereas the
adjective critiquable is used to denote something open to criticism.
Genre
From the French word for type, English has adopted genre. Often
synonymous with type genre is more restricted in use, being mainly
applied to artistic works.
RSVP
Condensed in English to mean 'please reply', RSVP originates from the
French répondez, s'il vous plait. S'il vous plait is, of course,
invariably useful for polite travellers.
From: www.frenchwords.org.uk
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