Discover the Wealth of French Words Used in English

Discover the Wealth of French Words Used in English How Many French Words Populate the English Language? ChaptersFrench Idioms Commonly Used in EnglishMainstream English words from French PeopleCommon Words Coined by the FrenchTracing Word EtymologyFrench in Standard EnglishFor all the claims that English is the de facto Lingua Franca of the civilised world â€" and other parts are catching up fast, we might want to hold our elation in check.Yes, it is wonderful that nearly every classroom in every nation of the globe contains students who are learning English.It is equally great that we, native speakers of the English language, could theoretically travel to just about any corner of the world and stand a good chance of being understood, all without having to learn a second language.Before becoming overwhelmed by any sense of seniority at our language being the world's language, we have to examine our mother tongue's roots.Linguists all assert, with varying degrees of firmness: English is a Germanic language.That means that the basis of our grammar and vocabulary lies with ancient Teutoni c civilisations.The theory passes the litmus test. Our ancestors did come, at least in part, from Jutland; a decidedly Germanic province.Have you ever wondered why the K in words such as knee and knife is silent?A bit of investigation reveals that those words come to us from the German language, where words with that letter combination are pronounced with the K.If we accept that premise â€" and, by all accounts, we do!, how can we justify that claim when nearly a third of English vocabulary is derived from the French language?Especially when, according to some reports, there are more French words used in daily English than German ones?Let's find out how much French you already know. Together we will discover just how much la langue française has influenced English! We can start with the name England, derived from French Angleterre: literally, Angles Land.What a fitting name seeing as the Angles, as well as the Jutes, helped to settle and populate our country!Get a good French tutor here.Amuse bouche, what we call nibbles, is a common idiom borrowed from the French language Source: Wikipedia Credit: Docteur Cosmos cul-de-sac?You guessed it: those are all French expressions, commonly used by English speakers.Here are a few more French phrases you are most likely familiar with:Avant-guarde: something or someone that is cutting edge.Le Corbusier's designs were certainly avant-guarde!Le mot juste: the precise word to describe a condition or situation.Refined is le mot juste to describe Meghan MarkleCherchez la femme: the idea that, when a man behaves out of character, a woman must be at faultIn today's gender politics, it might not be a good idea to use this phrase!Faux pas: literal translation is false step, meaning  a violation of social moresTurning your back to The Queen is a grave faux pas!The list of idiomatic French expressions used in English is so long that it merits its own webpage! And so many basic French words populate our vernacular! Even if you don' t (yet) speak French, it's a good bet you know most of these words.With Fashion Week just past, you may have recently heard the terms haute couture and pret a porter â€" high fashion and ready to wear, respectively.Calling all foodies!And entire lexicon of French words fill our cookbooks, from soufflé to consommé. Even our beloved courgettes get their name from the French! You will note that we use the French pronunciation of such words without changing the end to fit English spelling rules.Wouldn't soufflay, consommay and macramay be much easier to read, all while keeping the pronunciation we've claimed as our own?Many thanks to the native French inventor Louis Pasteur for giving us safe milk! Source: Pixabay Credit: CouleurMainstream English words from French People“I would like a milk bath!” proclaimed the nouveau riche matron. “Would that be pasteurised?” inquired her attendant. “No, just to my chin will be suitable.” Pasteurised milk is the only accepted standard for consumable  dairy products. In fact, its very niveau means that we no longer include the adjective pasteurised when we say milk.Still, it is printed on every single milk bottle label, isn't it?Louis Pasteur, the Frenchman who invented the technique, is forever immortalised by the process that bears his name.Other famous French people who gave their name to discoveries include Louis Braille, the Curies, Blaise Pascal, and Emile Baudot â€" definer of the baud rate, so vital to our digital world.Enter the etymology dictionary! It will not translate any words in French â€" or any words in English, for that matter! However, it will trace the history of any given word to its roots, and tell you of the circumstances surrounding its inception.If you have always wanted to learn French, and to know more about French words and phrases, the etymology dictionary is the page for you!What about being so busy that you barely have time to read a book, let alone take French classes?Ponder this: o ur daily lives may consume all of our time, energy and resources, but our minds are capable of boundless feats.While we are constrained by our social obligations, nothing says our minds can't take flight!One of the best ways to appreciate French culture is to discover the numerous inroads it has made into the language we speak every day.In taking a French course London or in Leeds, we will also gain a deeper appreciation for our modern English!You too will thrill at discovering the online etymology dictionary! Source: Pixabay Credit: JeShootsFrench in Standard EnglishSome of our most common words originated in France.Nevertheless, we must not lose sight of the fact that French is a romance language, with its roots in Latin.Doesn't that beg the question of the most common English words actually originating from that ancient tongue?Why should you study French? Wouldn't speaking French be easy, seeing as we English speaking people use so much French in our conversation?Few countries gu ard their linguistic heritage as closely as France, and defend it so ardently from foreign language incursion - such as the growing worldwide influence of English.But then, grammar aside: is spoken French really that different from spoken English?Before your next holiday in France â€" your next immersion experience, why not find out how long it will take you to learn French?