You Speak French and Didn’t Even Know It

Many of the expressions that English speakers use are actually French phrases. This article discusses some of these phrases and their true meaning. Knowledge of these expressions will strengthen your vocabulary and give you an impressive catalog of phrases to use in both business and personal settings.
Adroit. In English, this word means skillful and adept. The original French meaning is “to right.”
Bon appétit. In French, the phrase literally means “good appetite.” We English speakers have requisitioned the phrase to tell someone to enjoy his meal.
Faux pas. The literal meaning is “false not.” English speakers use the phrase to refer to making a mistake in social etiquette.

A la mode. This is a phrase that has diverged considerably in general use from its original meaning. In French, the expression is used to describe something that is fashionable. However, in English, the phrase is used almost exclusively to refer to an item of food served with ice cream on top.
Fiance. The literal meaning is “engaged.” However, there are two versons of the word in French, one version which refers to a man and a version with two “e”s refers to a woman.
Menage a trios. In French, this means “household of three.” The English use of the word refers to a different kind of threesome.
In lieu of. This phrase has basically the same meaning in both languages, which is “instead of” or “in place of.”
Je ne sais quoi. The literal meaning in French is “I don’t know what.” In English, this term refers to a quality or attribute that is difficult to describe. This word is often used in a melodramatic sense to describe something of a very desirable yet mysterious nature. Use this one the next time you are at a party.

Déjà vu. In French, this expression literally means “already seen.” In English, the original definition has been extended to refer to the illusion or feeling of having already experienced something that is happening for the first time.
Risque. It is risky to be too risqué. In French, the word literally means “risked.” In English, we use the word to mean something that is provocative or sexually suggestive.
As you can see from this small sampling, many of the phrases that English speakers incorporate into their speech all the time are actually French phrases which sometimes have similar meanings, but often mean something completely differently. It is not as important to understand the original meaning of these words and phrases as it is to simply know how to properly use them in the English language. In the business world, it is often important to portray a particular type of image, so learning expressions like those above will strengthen your vocabulary.

Article Source: http://www.freetextarticles.com

www.alboum.com/translating-english-to-french.aspx”>English to French translation is hard and exacting work. Don't ruin your reputation by using a service that will not provide a 100% accurate translation. Hire the professionals at Alboum & Associates, www.alboum.com, one of the most respected language translation firms in the country, and get your documents translated accurately.

Please Rate this Article

5 out of 54 out of 53 out of 52 out of 51 out of 5 

Not yet Rated