Reading an article about an exhibition in Paris, I immediately focus on French words which are familiar to speakers and readers of English.
French - English
alliance - alliance, joining an ally, partners in peace or business or a club
Alliance Francaises - club of French speakers in countries such as London, England and Singapore, usually a building housing a French restaurant or café, library or bookshop, meeting rooms
amour - love
blasé - nonchalant (there's another French word!), could not care less
nonchalant - non is no, c h a l e u r (oops - must separate the letters because spellcheck turned this word into cholera) is warmth, lack of warmth - could not care less, indifferent
capable (pronounced cap ah bull) - capable (pronounced cape -a-bull)
Champs Elysses - you recognise the name of the French street.
Champs - fields
avenue - wide street usually bordered by trees
boulevard - grand street
entente cordiale - cordial or friendly understanding (a political alliance)
exhibition (the t is pronounced like an s) - exhibition (t is pronounced like sh)
faux - false, as in faux pas, flash step or mistake
finesse - finesse, as in fine - ness or skill
metre - meter in English is measure
kilometre - thousand metres
restaurant - restaurant
restaurateur - restaurateur or restaurant owner or restaurant manager
suede - from the French gants de Suède, gloves from Sweden, soft matt kid leather
tableaux - pictures
voyeur - watcher, onlooker
I have read two sentences and already recognise six French words. You know more French, and use more French than most people realise. (realiser?)
It will soon be lunch time and I have to resist the temptation to drink a kir royale. Royale is royal with an e on the end.
Angela Lansbury, author, tutor, speaker.
alliance - alliance, joining an ally, partners in peace or business or a club
Alliance Francaises - club of French speakers in countries such as London, England and Singapore, usually a building housing a French restaurant or café, library or bookshop, meeting rooms
amour - love
blasé - nonchalant (there's another French word!), could not care less
nonchalant - non is no, c h a l e u r (oops - must separate the letters because spellcheck turned this word into cholera) is warmth, lack of warmth - could not care less, indifferent
capable (pronounced cap ah bull) - capable (pronounced cape -a-bull)
Champs Elysses - you recognise the name of the French street.
Champs - fields
avenue - wide street usually bordered by trees
boulevard - grand street
entente cordiale - cordial or friendly understanding (a political alliance)
exhibition (the t is pronounced like an s) - exhibition (t is pronounced like sh)
faux - false, as in faux pas, flash step or mistake
finesse - finesse, as in fine - ness or skill
metre - meter in English is measure
kilometre - thousand metres
restaurant - restaurant
restaurateur - restaurateur or restaurant owner or restaurant manager
suede - from the French gants de Suède, gloves from Sweden, soft matt kid leather
tableaux - pictures
voyeur - watcher, onlooker
I have read two sentences and already recognise six French words. You know more French, and use more French than most people realise. (realiser?)
It will soon be lunch time and I have to resist the temptation to drink a kir royale. Royale is royal with an e on the end.
Angela Lansbury, author, tutor, speaker.
