Monday, March 16, 2020
Too Much French Vocabulary Is the Haute of Hauteur
Too Much French Vocabulary Is the Haute of Hauteur Too Much French Vocabulary Is the Haute of Hauteur Too Much French Vocabulary Is the Haute of Hauteur By Mark Nichol Thanks to the longstanding political and social influence of France on what is now the United Kingdom, French and its dialects have had a significant impact on the English language. Linguists estimate that nearly one-third of English words are derived from French, and though some are more efficient or evocative in meaning than words that evolved from Old English, terms that ostentatiously signal their place of origin should be used in moderation. Many words we take for granted stem from French, among them some of the terms most closely associated with the United States, such as equality, justice, and liberty. However, Gallicisms, expressions and idioms clearly identifiable as French (though they often have become naturalized citizens in English), are also numerous. For example, many speakers of American English use one or more phrases beginning with the French word for good: ââ¬Å"bon appetitâ⬠(literally ââ¬Å"good appetite,â⬠meaning ââ¬Å"enjoy your mealâ⬠), ââ¬Å"bon motâ⬠(literally ââ¬Å"good piece,â⬠meaning ââ¬Å"witty remarkâ⬠), ââ¬Å"bon vivantâ⬠(literally ââ¬Å"good liver,â⬠meaning ââ¬Å"one who lives wellâ⬠), and ââ¬Å"bon voyageâ⬠(literally, ââ¬Å"good journey,â⬠meaning ââ¬Å"enjoy your tripâ⬠). The first and last are universally familiar, but ââ¬Å"bon motâ⬠and ââ¬Å"bon vivantâ⬠are less widely known. And although most well-educated people understand what a coup de grace is, it would be considered pretentious to write of a coup de foudre (literally, ââ¬Å"strike of thunder,â⬠meaning ââ¬Å"love at first sightâ⬠), a coup de maitre (literally, ââ¬Å"stroke of the master,â⬠meaning ââ¬Å"masterstrokeâ⬠), a coup de theatre (literally, ââ¬Å"stroke of theater,â⬠meaning ââ¬Å"dramatic turn of eventsâ⬠), or a coup dââ¬â¢oeil (literally, ââ¬Å"strike of the eye,â⬠meaning ââ¬Å"glanceâ⬠). Likewise, many other French terms may be at best vaguely familiar to readers, and though readers may not mind going to the dictionary once or twice, writers should be cautious about annoying them by lacing their work with too many words or phrases such as habituà © (ââ¬Å"one who frequents a placeâ⬠), ââ¬Å"idà ©e fixeâ⬠(ââ¬Å"obsessionâ⬠), louche (ââ¬Å"questionable, or arousing suspicionâ⬠), and manque (ââ¬Å"failureâ⬠). Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Using "a" and "an" Before Words8 Writing Tips for Beginners5 Erroneously Constructed ââ¬Å"Not Only . . . But Alsoâ⬠Sentences
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