tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6263480137980361935.post-80657945090829246782008-02-09T10:49:00.000Z2008-02-09T11:35:33.836Z2008-02-09T11:35:33.836ZI've been hanging out a lot with an American girl friend since I arrived in Scotland.<br />She doesn't mind so much my obvious arrogance, garlic smell and overall annoying <span style="font-style: italic;">joie de vivre</span>. But even her patience has its limits and there's one thing I know unerves her, so I keep on doing it! ;-)<br /><br />English, be it the traditional language you would find in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Webster%27s_Dictionary">Webster</a>, or the one you hear on the street, is full of French words, and I just love pointing out that they are stealing our language and would try to insert as many French words in a <a href="http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=conversation"><span style="font-style: italic;">conversation</span></a> (oups... this one is a French word as well!) as I could, ending it with a... By the way, that's a French word!<br /><br />I'm quite sure Native English wouldn't even realise it, just like the French wouldn't realise just how many English words we have in our oh so exceptionnal language. *rolls eyes*<br /><br />I shall make my duty to report on this blog any word I come across!<br /><br />I won't be listing all the obivous ones like <a href="http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=rendezvous"><span style="font-style: italic;">rendez-vous</span></a> and <a href="http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=d%E9j%E0+vu"><span style="font-style: italic;">deja-vu</span></a>, we all know these are French and English speakers use them as such, just like <a href="http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=facade"><span style="font-style: italic;">façade</span></a> or even <a href="http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=cuisine"><span style="font-style: italic;">cuisine</span></a>... all these are a bit <a href="http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=cliche">cliché</a>! ;-)<br /><br />I will stick to the less obvious ones, at least from what I can see and hear.<br /><br />I was pretty suprised to hear this friend was walking her dog on the <a href="http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=promenade"><span style="font-style: italic;">promenade</span></a> and that she has the dog on a leash as she doesn't want her German shepperd to wander off near the <span style="font-style: italic;"><a href="http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=boulevard">boulevard</a> .<br /><br /></span>However I will make a difference between the words that have their origin in the French language (such as <a href="http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=lounge">lounge</a>) and the ones that have the exact same spelling in both languages.<br />The reason for this is that once the spelling has been modified, it seems to me that it stops being a French word and starts having a life of its own.<br /><br />We all might get amazed at just how much modern French influences English speakers in their everyday life.<span style="font-style: italic;"><br /></span>UgzYhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00198035163165356166noreply@blogger.com0