Category Archives: Vocabulary

Commiserations to all those caught up in, or scared by, the riots. Although there is no excuse for looting or, much more importantly, burning people out of their homes and businesses, I got to pondering on what has created this appalling … Continue reading →

Not to be confused with Pierre-Joseph Prudhon: ‘La propriété, c’est le vol !’: ‘Property is theft’. Sully-Prudhomme wrote, among other poems, ‘Les Yeux’. To save my fingers and your patience, I shall give you this poem one verse (of five) … Continue reading →

I was felled for most of last week with a vile cold, otherwise known as ‘une crève’. As the word ‘crever’ means ‘to die’ I can only assume that this is an attempt at humour on the part of the … Continue reading →

Have just realised that ‘comment’ is almost a False Friend: from French: ‘how’ and from English: ‘a comment’ is ‘une remarque’. However, it is also translated as ‘un commentaire’ so I can’t quite get away with this one… Please note: in French … Continue reading →

Don’t be alarmed if you read the phrase ‘endormi(e) dans son couffin’ as the latter is not a coffin but a Moses’ (straw baby’s) basket.

You can’t please all of the people all of the time (although I do try…). Some people (you know who you are!) complained about my inclusion of Lists in ‘False Friends’ (others claimed to like them – thank you). The … Continue reading →

Hands up all those who knew ‘un souci’ was a marigold as well as a worry. And congratulate yourself if you knew ‘une virgule’ was a decimal point as well as a comma…

Henry de Montherlant (1895-1972) or ‘Henry Marie Joseph Frédéric Expedite Millon de Montherlant’ to give him his full given name:  “Happiness writes in white ink on white paper” Note: Although we in the UK tend to think of ‘Marie’ as … Continue reading →

Don’t confuse ‘un mulet’ (a mule) with ‘un mulot’ (a field mouse). Or ‘un hochet’ (a rattle) with ‘un hoquet’ (a hiccup). The phrase ‘prendre la mouche’ (lit. to take the fly) means ‘to get huffy’.

September 3 and 4 2011: the largest and most exciting ‘flea-market’ in Europe is held in Lille 3 and 4 September this year. Make sure you secure hotel accommodation or somewhere nice to stay, and stock up with French novels! … Continue reading →