October 21, 2003
 L'histoire parle....
....History speaks.
Anglo-Saxon and French buddies!
Double your pleasure!
Have you ever noticed that there are a lot words in the English language that come from French and are similar in meaning to English? Be careful! These words stand side-by-side with their English pals in many instances, but they do not really have the exact same meaning. While the English words tend to be neutral in meaning, the French word usually carries a super-charged positive or negative connotation.
This phenomenon happens when a language borrows an enormous amount of words from another language. Languages often tend to use their native word as a neutral or more broad and general meaning, while the borrowed word is used to imply a hint of meaning that is not a part of the native word. English has borrowed extensively from French for many centuries. The result is a long list of words that are seemingly close in meaning, but that under close inspection reveal shades of nuances and meaning that have enriched the English language twofold, giving it words that are native (which linguists often refer to as Anglo-Saxon) and words that are of French origin.
Adding an Air of Understanding
To the Complex and Profound.
English has the native verb 'to understand' and the French counterpart 'to comprehend' (Modern French 'comprendre'). In most of our day-to-day conversations we use our native word, but in formal situations we might switch to the verb 'to comprehend.' Here the French verb adds an air of formality. It is often used when the lack of understanding is more complex and profound. Sometimes it is used to show something special or unique that is not a part of the Anglo-Saxon word.
For example:
I don't understand what you just said. Could you repeat that please?
It is hard for me to comprehend your epideictic arguments for peace.
How about the English word 'smell' and the French word 'odor?' Well, the English word is quite neutral, whether pleasant or disgusting. The range of the word 'smell' seems to be smaller than the word 'odor.' The French word carries the connotation of something "stronger or more potent' in a positive or a negative sense.
For example:
The flower has a pleasant smell.
The flower has a pleasant odor.
And negatively speaking, which word sends a stronger message to you? What is that awful smell? What is that awful odor?
Directness and Brevity, or
Grandeur and Courtliness?
Although not all speakers agree on some of the nuances of meaning, it is clear that the word of French origin is the one that tends to be more charged and carry a tone or meaning that is more intense than its English counterpart. Richard Lederer in an article entitled "Can't find the right word" writes that "Anglo-Saxon is the foundation of our language. Its directness, brevity, and plainness make us feel more deeply and see things about ourselves more truly. The grandeur, sonority, and courtliness of French elements lift us to a more literary level of expression." Hmh.... This might explain why we sometimes find people who use words of French Origin to sound 'pretentious' or 'snobbish.'
Here is a list of some other words that are of Anglo-Saxon and French origin. Can you see how the French word carries a different shade of meaning?
Native English
(Anglo-Saxon)
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French Origin
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Ask
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Question
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Rise
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Mount
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Help
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Aid
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Fear
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Terror
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End
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Finish
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Dead
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Deceased
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Work
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Travail
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Love
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Adore
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Hide
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Cache
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Beginning
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Debut
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Earn
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Gain
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Red
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Rouge
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Look for
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Search
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Pie
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Tart
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Seller
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Vendor
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Earn Four Bonus Points: Use one set of words from this list and one set of words that you find on your own. Put the two words in a sentence and explain to me what you think the subtle nuance is in the word of French origin. Have fun with it! I look forward to hearing from you! You have to respond before midnight on Sunday, November 2!
Here is an example of what I am asking for: Love vs. Adore
I love my wife.
I adore my wife.
'Adore' carries the basic meaning of 'love,' but also adds a nuance of love to the point of worship. It implies the notion of 'treasuring something.' Like the dishes that appear on 'Emeril Live' on the Food Network Channel, 'Adore' is 'Love' kicked up a notch! BAM!
Curfew
The etymology (the root of where a word comes from) of the word 'curfew' is quite obscure, but it is 100% French! The English adopted this word into their language quite a long time ago. Originally in French the word looked like this: 'couvre-feu'. The meaning is 'cover fire'.
Streetlamps in old Paris were literally burning flames at one time. The men on the night watch would walk throughout the city with a special stick that could reach up to the top of the lampposts. At a certain time when 'All was well' and it was time for the town to go to sleep, they would reach up and 'cover the fire' or 'put out the fire'. Can you see where we are going with this one? Good.
Originally, when the fire was covered, people couldn't see where they were going. (There were no flashlights at this time!) To make matters worse, the streets were much more dangerous when all the lights were out. You can only imagine the kind of riff raft that ran the dark Paris streets. So, if you were smart, you would make sure that you and all your family members were safe inside before the fire was covered, or before the 'couvre-feu'.
Soon, the local police had the right to enforce the night rule that people had to be indoors before the 'covering of the fire' or the 'couvre-feu'. Anyone loitering around after 'couver-feu' was considered to be 'suspicious in nature'.
Eventually, the word 'couvre-feu' came to English and was butchered into the word we know today as 'curfew'. Only now, it has nothing to do with lamppost and fire. However, it still has a lot to do with local authorities, who sometimes impose a curfew on the youth to keep them out of danger or out of trouble. Even parents can impose a curfew. In this instance it has a double whammy: Not only are the parents enforcing the curfew that sends the child indoors, but they are also deciding the time for 'the lights to go out' on everyone's fun — in a manner of speaking.
It is amazing what we can learn about the French influence on the English language. Did you know that at one time there were so many French words in the English language that English was considered by some to be a 'dialect' of French? L'histoire parle will review a selection of the host of words rooted in French. Some are obvious, others are not.
Dandelion is a beautiful yellow flower. Have you ever thought about where the flower's name originated? You guessed it! From the French language. The original word looked like this: dents de lion. Can you figure out the meaning of this word from French?
dents - teeth
de - of
lion - lion
The answer is 'teeth of a lion' or 'lion's teeth'. Do you see the image? Imagine a lion opening his mouth, nice and wide, and then directing his fierce set of ivory right at you. Now, think about the flower. Can you see how dents de lion aptly describes the flower?
Tune in next week to find out where the word 'curfew' comes from in French!
*This is the first step toward THE One World Language.
Step Nine: *The Intransitive hesitates at the threshold.
Planète Française is ruled by Dr. Todd Alden Marshall, professor of Russian and Slavic Linguistics at the University of Central Arkansas. An independent entity in the CornDancer consortium of planets, Planète Française is dedicated to the study and exploration of the French language. CornDancer is a developmental website for the mind and spirit maintained by webmistress Freddie A. Bowles of the Planet Earth. Submissions are invited.
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