I'm looking for some original French expressions in English like; à la mode (or à la française). Is there any new ones?
What are the most graceful French expressions in English?
à propos
à la carte
carte blanche
au naturel
avant-garde
beaucoup
faux
genre
niche
sauté
Most of these aren't recent though; some are
Most large-scale borrowings of French origin have ceased. Is there still room for any more??? :p
à la carte
carte blanche
au naturel
avant-garde
beaucoup
faux
genre
niche
sauté
Most of these aren't recent though; some are
Most large-scale borrowings of French origin have ceased. Is there still room for any more??? :p
How about: le jogging, snob, déstockage, le living, drainer, le weekend, le job, knockouter
Coup d'état - Overthrowing of a government (not really graceful in meaning but it sounds nice.
Esprit de corps - Group spirit (literally spirit of body)
Crème de la crème (something or someone of the highest quality)
Raison d'être (reason for being or living)
Avant-garde (referring to something radically different or innovative)
C'est la vie (that's life!)
Tour de force (something of amazing or masterly accomplishment)
Esprit de corps - Group spirit (literally spirit of body)
Crème de la crème (something or someone of the highest quality)
Raison d'être (reason for being or living)
Avant-garde (referring to something radically different or innovative)
C'est la vie (that's life!)
Tour de force (something of amazing or masterly accomplishment)
What do French people think when they see expressions like this used in English? Do they cringe like I do when I see plain English used in other languages?
"What do French people think when they see expressions like this used in English? Do they cringe like I do when I see plain English used in other languages?"
Je trouve ça assez pathétique. Excepté pour certaines expressions franchement intraduisibles comme "par excellence" ou "raison d'être".
Le plus ridicule est quand ils veulent ajouter devant un "le" ou "la" hors de propos, comme "le job" ou "la esprit de corps" (ou, plus grave, "viva le France", qui résume une certaine stupidité américaine).
Ça sonne comme un aveu d'ignorance.
C'est pitoyable.
Je trouve ça assez pathétique. Excepté pour certaines expressions franchement intraduisibles comme "par excellence" ou "raison d'être".
Le plus ridicule est quand ils veulent ajouter devant un "le" ou "la" hors de propos, comme "le job" ou "la esprit de corps" (ou, plus grave, "viva le France", qui résume une certaine stupidité américaine).
Ça sonne comme un aveu d'ignorance.
C'est pitoyable.
<<Je trouve ça assez pathétique. Excepté pour certaines expressions franchement intraduisibles comme "par excellence" ou "raison d'être".
Le plus ridicule est quand ils veulent ajouter devant un "le" ou "la" hors de propos, comme "le job" ou "la esprit de corps" (ou, plus grave, "viva le France", qui résume une certaine stupidité américaine).
Ça sonne comme un aveu d'ignorance.
C'est pitoyable.>>
That looks like some of the most contrived sentences ever. I put them into a translator and all of the words translated like English! Stop pretending to be French; they're way better than you.
Le plus ridicule est quand ils veulent ajouter devant un "le" ou "la" hors de propos, comme "le job" ou "la esprit de corps" (ou, plus grave, "viva le France", qui résume une certaine stupidité américaine).
Ça sonne comme un aveu d'ignorance.
C'est pitoyable.>>
That looks like some of the most contrived sentences ever. I put them into a translator and all of the words translated like English! Stop pretending to be French; they're way better than you.
Do they?: « What do French people think when they see expressions like this used in English? Do they cringe like I do when I see plain English used in other languages? »
I'm like: "Cool, free vocab!" ;-)
("free" because there is no effort to make to learn it)
I'm like: "Cool, free vocab!" ;-)
("free" because there is no effort to make to learn it)
" What do French people think when they see expressions like this used in English? Do they cringe like I do when I see plain English used in other languages? "
I don't like it very much. it is a but strange to hear french expressions in an English speaking context (a lot of time ina bit different meaning). Most of the time what bother me is that those expressions are used in a snobbish way, like is saying them in french (while it could be said much easily in English) give a "special" thing. While for us those expression are basic an "normal", "popular" or even "familiar"... it is bothering to hear french used in a this snobish way, because, us, we din't consider our language to be "snobbish/aristocratic, etc. as many anglophones like use them that way.
I don't like it very much. it is a but strange to hear french expressions in an English speaking context (a lot of time ina bit different meaning). Most of the time what bother me is that those expressions are used in a snobbish way, like is saying them in french (while it could be said much easily in English) give a "special" thing. While for us those expression are basic an "normal", "popular" or even "familiar"... it is bothering to hear french used in a this snobish way, because, us, we din't consider our language to be "snobbish/aristocratic, etc. as many anglophones like use them that way.
<<I don't like it very much. it is a but strange to hear french expressions in an English speaking context (a lot of time ina bit different meaning). Most of the time what bother me is that those expressions are used in a snobbish way, like is saying them in french (while it could be said much easily in English) give a "special" thing. While for us those expression are basic an "normal", "popular" or even "familiar"... it is bothering to hear french used in a this snobish way, because, us, we din't consider our language to be "snobbish/aristocratic, etc. as many anglophones like use them that way. >>
Most of the time, Americans aren't trying to be snobbish with these various phrases. Sometimes, it just sounds nicer or one just chooses to use that phrase. Ex: "Russia had a violent coup d'etat." Some French (or any other language) phrases are just a part of the English language now.
What's snobbish is that people like you don't want us to use these phrases, as if they only belong to French people. Well, guess what? This world has become more linked now that there are TVs and the like. If you or any other people want to keep native French or even Spanish phrases confined to your language only, you need to get out more and learn the value of open-mindedness.
Most of the time, Americans aren't trying to be snobbish with these various phrases. Sometimes, it just sounds nicer or one just chooses to use that phrase. Ex: "Russia had a violent coup d'etat." Some French (or any other language) phrases are just a part of the English language now.
What's snobbish is that people like you don't want us to use these phrases, as if they only belong to French people. Well, guess what? This world has become more linked now that there are TVs and the like. If you or any other people want to keep native French or even Spanish phrases confined to your language only, you need to get out more and learn the value of open-mindedness.
Lo que yo no entiendo es por qué los angloparlantes mantienen las expresiones en francés y no las traducen a su lengua aunque sigan siendo meros calcos. Por ejemplo en español existe "golpe de estado", supongo que proviniente del francés "coup d'etat". Sería un poco absurdo en español decir por ejemplo: Zapatero dio un coup d'etat para llega al poder.
Because "blow of state" would sound ridiculous in English. That is why we leave "coup d'etat" untranslated.
<< <<Je trouve ça assez pathétique. Excepté pour certaines expressions franchement intraduisibles comme "par excellence" ou "raison d'être".
Le plus ridicule est quand ils veulent ajouter devant un "le" ou "la" hors de propos, comme "le job" ou "la esprit de corps" (ou, plus grave, "viva le France", qui résume une certaine stupidité américaine).
Ça sonne comme un aveu d'ignorance.
C'est pitoyable.>>
That looks like some of the most contrived sentences ever. I put them into a translator and all of the words translated like English! Stop pretending to be French; they're way better than you. >>
-- Really? The sentences you quote are quite standard French, with nothing wrong.
<< Stop pretending to be French >>
-- I guess you are Italian!
<< "Russia had a violent coup d'etat." >>
-- En français, pour un violent coup d'Etat, on utilise un mot allemand: "Putsch" ! (surtout employé quand il est raté, en opposition à la notion de "coup d'Etat" qui contient implicitement l'idée que l'Etat en sort modifié, donc que le coup a réussi)
Le plus ridicule est quand ils veulent ajouter devant un "le" ou "la" hors de propos, comme "le job" ou "la esprit de corps" (ou, plus grave, "viva le France", qui résume une certaine stupidité américaine).
Ça sonne comme un aveu d'ignorance.
C'est pitoyable.>>
That looks like some of the most contrived sentences ever. I put them into a translator and all of the words translated like English! Stop pretending to be French; they're way better than you. >>
-- Really? The sentences you quote are quite standard French, with nothing wrong.
<< Stop pretending to be French >>
-- I guess you are Italian!
<< "Russia had a violent coup d'etat." >>
-- En français, pour un violent coup d'Etat, on utilise un mot allemand: "Putsch" ! (surtout employé quand il est raté, en opposition à la notion de "coup d'Etat" qui contient implicitement l'idée que l'Etat en sort modifié, donc que le coup a réussi)
je ne sais quoi (I don't know what/mysterious somethin' somethin' - used as a noun)
bric-a-brac (pronounced differently in English, though)
rendezvous
RSVP (respondez-vous s'il vous plaît)
laissez faire (or laissez-faire, as in "laissez-faire capitalism")
And occasionally one hears "Vive la France!" or "Vive la revolution!"
bric-a-brac (pronounced differently in English, though)
rendezvous
RSVP (respondez-vous s'il vous plaît)
laissez faire (or laissez-faire, as in "laissez-faire capitalism")
And occasionally one hears "Vive la France!" or "Vive la revolution!"