French Phrases

RuByRuBy Join Date: 2002-12-12 Member: 10732Members
edited June 2005 in Off-Topic
<div class="IPBDescription">get the spelling right!</div> I tend to visit a lot of forums and websites written in English, this is not spectacular. However, I frequently run into people using French expressions in hopes that it will make them look smart or sophisticated. 90% of the time, they are not spelled correctly, and being French it is the first thing I notice. I was prompted to write this post when I saw the expression "crème de la crème" being used, but it was written "cremé de cremé". This makes absolutely no sense and makes you look retarded.

In hopes to fix this problem, I started writing a list of (correctly spelled) French expressions along with their meaning. When I tried searching for more, Wikipedia came to the rescue once again. Someone had already done that!

Cutting it short, for those concerned, bookmark this page and remember it well.
<a href='http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_French_phrases_used_by_English_speakers' target='_blank'>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Frenc...nglish_speakers</a>
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  • AbraAbra Would you kindly Join Date: 2003-08-17 Member: 19870Members
    Thank you. Now to get french people to speak english <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin-fix.gif' /><!--endemo-->
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  • RuByRuBy Join Date: 2002-12-12 Member: 10732Members
    Yes... well that's different...

    get the GUILLOTINE!
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  • ThaldarinThaldarin Alonzi&#33; Join Date: 2003-07-15 Member: 18173Members, Constellation
    God knows why you are going on about non-French written French. Iirc there is a problem in France with writing French correctly as it is. It's worse than the situation in England where 1 in 5 children can't write properly before the age of 10.
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  • RuByRuBy Join Date: 2002-12-12 Member: 10732Members
    Yes, and to be honest seing the way French people write on the internet makes me very sad. That's why most of the French sites I visit have very strict rules about grammar and spelling (<a href='http://www.nofrag.com' target='_blank'>NoFrag</a> for example).

    That said, French is not nearly as phonetic as English which itself is not great either. For example the following suffixes all sound exactly the same:

    -é
    -ée
    -er
    -ez
    -ai
    -ait
    -ais
    -aient

    Talk about confusing.
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  • Cereal_KillRCereal_KillR Join Date: 2002-10-31 Member: 1837Members
    I'd think that it's the same problem backwards. God also knows how many people don't know how to write correctly in english.
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  • X_StickmanX_Stickman Not good enough for a custom title. Join Date: 2003-04-15 Member: 15533Members, Constellation
    The only French word I use on a regular basis (at least I'm fairly sure it's French) is Touché... which I think is right.

    That and I often go onto French servers and piece together random, non-sensical French phrases from what I remember of my 2 years of French class (wasn't optional, unfortunately)... which results in funny. Englishman + Limited Knowledge of X language + Natural speakers of X language = Merriment. That and the tried and true English method of speaking to foreigners, which is to speak english, but REALLY slowly and loud, getting slower and louder each time the person can't understand. Foolproof.
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  • Nil_IQNil_IQ Join Date: 2003-04-15 Member: 15520Members
    I don't know how to use the funny accents anyway, so i'd just say touche and creme de la creme <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile-fix.gif' /><!--endemo-->

    That said, the way Ruby hates it being spelled would be pronounced cremay de la cremay, which ironically is how a lot of chavs would pronounce it anyway.
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  • Cereal_KillRCereal_KillR Join Date: 2002-10-31 Member: 1837Members
    edited June 2005
    This reminds me, Escargots are delicious. Absolutely fabulous. Don't be disgusted by the looks, you're missing on a fine dish.

    In fact, let's put it this way. French Cuisine is among the best if not the best of the world, honestly.

    edit: except frog legs. Frog legs not only look disgusting, they're also disgusting to eat.
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  • CMEastCMEast Join Date: 2002-05-19 Member: 632Members
    It's not to much an ignorance of the french language as it is a) a lack of general knowledge and b) a lack of care for what they are writing and a lack of respect for the readers.

    If I'm not sure about a word or phrase then I won't use it, simple as that. Of course I still make mistakes but that's more to do with mis-types or tiredness than a lack of general knowledge.

    One that really annoyed me was when people use the word 'weary' in place of wary. "I'm really weary of that person" "You're tired of them" "... No, I'm suspicious" "Then what the hell are you on about!".

    Silly people.
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  • ThaldarinThaldarin Alonzi&#33; Join Date: 2003-07-15 Member: 18173Members, Constellation
    <!--QuoteBegin-Cereal KillR+Jun 16 2005, 01:56 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Cereal KillR @ Jun 16 2005, 01:56 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> This reminds me, Escargots are delicious. Absolutely fabulous. Don't be disgusted by the looks, you're missing on a fine dish.

    In fact, let's put it this way. French Cuisine is among the best if not the best of the world, honestly.

    edit: except frog legs. Frog legs not only look disgusting, they're also disgusting to eat. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
    Amen to that.
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  • WalkaboutWalkabout Join Date: 2005-05-01 Member: 50651Banned
    zut alors
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  • GeminosityGeminosity :3 Join Date: 2003-09-08 Member: 20667Members
    I think the only french term I use in normal speaking is "c'est la vie".
    Outside of that I keep two probably incorrect phrases if I meet a french person online...

    - Je ne parle les fracais!!! :p
    - J'aime les lapins!!! :D

    et voila ^~
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  • ThaldarinThaldarin Alonzi&#33; Join Date: 2003-07-15 Member: 18173Members, Constellation
    <!--QuoteBegin-Geminosity+Jun 16 2005, 02:39 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Geminosity @ Jun 16 2005, 02:39 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> I think the only french term I use in normal speaking is "c'est la vie".
    Outside of that I keep two probably incorrect phrases if I meet a french person online...

    - Je ne parle les fracais!!! <!--emo&:p--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif' /><!--endemo-->
    - J'aime les lapins!!! <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin-fix.gif' /><!--endemo-->

    et voila ^~ <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
    Oh you were so close to being totally correct.

    *je ne parle pas le français
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  • GeminosityGeminosity :3 Join Date: 2003-09-08 Member: 20667Members
    ahhhh! thankies! I knew I'd forgotten to add something to it.
    Been a long, long, long, loooong time since I did french back in school :3
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  • CabooseCaboose title = name(self, handle) Join Date: 2003-02-15 Member: 13597Members, Constellation
    Yea, English is hard enough, And I have a difficult time pronouncing French words as is.

    Patrick Roy (Roy being pronounced 'Wa' for some reason) the gollie for the Colorado Avalanche is one example. My vocabulary is already flooded with Spanish words, I can't remember all that french!
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  • RuByRuBy Join Date: 2002-12-12 Member: 10732Members
    <!--QuoteBegin-Caboose+Jun 16 2005, 08:14 AM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Caboose @ Jun 16 2005, 08:14 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> Yea, English is hard enough, And I have a difficult time pronouncing French words as is.

    Patrick Roy (Roy being pronounced 'Wa' for some reason) the gollie for the Colorado Avalanche is one example. My vocabulary is already flooded with Spanish words, I can't remember all that french! <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
    I think it's pronounced 'Rwa' (the r is not emphasized by Americans) which is actually really close to the pronounciation of the word "roi" (literally "king") from which "roy" is derived.
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  • HazeHaze O RLY? Join Date: 2003-07-07 Member: 18018Members, Constellation
    <!--QuoteBegin-X Stickman+Jun 16 2005, 07:09 AM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (X Stickman @ Jun 16 2005, 07:09 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> The only French word I use on a regular basis (at least I'm fairly sure it's French) is Touché... <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
    Yes!!!
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  • ThaldarinThaldarin Alonzi&#33; Join Date: 2003-07-15 Member: 18173Members, Constellation
    <!--QuoteBegin-Haze+Jun 16 2005, 03:25 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Haze @ Jun 16 2005, 03:25 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> <!--QuoteBegin-X Stickman+Jun 16 2005, 07:09 AM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (X Stickman @ Jun 16 2005, 07:09 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> The only French word I use on a regular basis (at least I'm fairly sure it's French) is Touché... <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
    Yes!!! <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
    Never used 'Merde'?
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  • RoverRover blargh Join Date: 2003-09-23 Member: 21139Members
    <!--QuoteBegin-Thaldarin+Jun 16 2005, 04:27 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Thaldarin @ Jun 16 2005, 04:27 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> <!--QuoteBegin-Haze+Jun 16 2005, 03:25 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Haze @ Jun 16 2005, 03:25 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> <!--QuoteBegin-X Stickman+Jun 16 2005, 07:09 AM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (X Stickman @ Jun 16 2005, 07:09 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> The only French word I use on a regular basis (at least I'm fairly sure it's French) is Touché... <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
    Yes!!! <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
    Never used 'Merde'? <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
    Mèrde originates from 'mère de' i think...which means 'mother of'...which refers to........well nvm not that it matters im just typing random stuff atm...



    Anyway...I've been having french for 6 years now, 4 * 50min/week...that guide is super-easy <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin-fix.gif' /><!--endemo--> ...then again half of my friggin country's french...bastards...they don't have to learn dutch...not fair...
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  • Har_Har_the_PirateHar_Har_the_Pirate Join Date: 2003-08-10 Member: 19388Members, Constellation
    i only use creme de la creme, bon apetit, a la, deja vue, and ne, NE NE!

    and forget those silly little scribbles above the letters
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  • RaVeRaVe Join Date: 2003-06-20 Member: 17538Members
    Brief summary of me and the French language.

    Me + French = <b>DISASTER STRIKES</b>

    In other words....I speak and write french so badly, I make examiners and invigilators cringe. Heck, I left my french writing papers blank because I have absolutely NO idea how to write small paragraphs, let alone sentences, in french.

    Even now, I'm still horrible at french. The only thing I've been praised for was a french tongue. I can get the french accent, but when I <b>try</b> to form coherent sentences....I believe you know what happens <!--emo&;)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/wink-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='wink-fix.gif' /><!--endemo-->
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  • GeminosityGeminosity :3 Join Date: 2003-09-08 Member: 20667Members
    a french tongue huh? You sure they were praising you for your speaking abilities? ^~
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  • RaVeRaVe Join Date: 2003-06-20 Member: 17538Members
    Only for words. I can pronounce them correctly, compared to the rest of my class. Some people JUST can't get the accents right.

    When a french conversation happens though, I'd do what a PC would do : I'd freeze.
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  • CplDavisCplDavis I hunt the arctic Snonos Join Date: 2003-01-09 Member: 12097Members
    Et voilà Soupe du jour Roasted Gorge!


    yea thats probably wrong, but then again Im not french. <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile-fix.gif' /><!--endemo-->
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  • RoverRover blargh Join Date: 2003-09-23 Member: 21139Members
    edited June 2005
    Bah, je déteste je français...nous devons apprende ca de l'age d'onze-douze...


    edit: typo <!--emo&:p--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif' /><!--endemo-->
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  • InsaneInsane Anomaly Join Date: 2002-05-13 Member: 605Members, Super Administrators, Forum Admins, NS1 Playtester, Forum Moderators, NS2 Developer, Constellation, NS2 Playtester, Squad Five Blue, NS2 Map Tester, Subnautica Developer, Pistachionauts, Future Perfect Developer
    "Ah, it has a certain... <i>je ne sais quoi</i>."

    Of course, you could just say, "I don't have anything to say."
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  • RoverRover blargh Join Date: 2003-09-23 Member: 21139Members
    edited June 2005
    <!--QuoteBegin-Insane+Jun 16 2005, 10:37 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Insane @ Jun 16 2005, 10:37 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> "Ah, it has a certain... <i>je ne sais quoi</i>."

    Of course, you could just say, "I don't have anything to say." <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
    je ne sais quoi = i don't know what...



    EDIT: by that I don't mean I don't know what it means...It actually means that <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin-fix.gif' /><!--endemo-->
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  • UltimaGeckoUltimaGecko hates endnotes Join Date: 2003-05-14 Member: 16320Members
    <!--QuoteBegin-Rover+Jun 16 2005, 04:03 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Rover @ Jun 16 2005, 04:03 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> <!--QuoteBegin-Insane+Jun 16 2005, 10:37 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Insane @ Jun 16 2005, 10:37 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> "Ah, it has a certain... <i>je ne sais quoi</i>."

    Of course, you could just say, "I don't have anything to say." <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
    je ne sais quoi = i don't know what...



    EDIT: by that I don't mean I don't know what it means...It actually means that <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin-fix.gif' /><!--endemo--> <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
    Id est: "something" <!--emo&:p--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif' /><!--endemo-->


    The only French I use are rendezvous and coup d'etat - both of which English has basically stolen and made its own. Now on to all the German everyone uses wrongly every day...

    ...oh, wait...That's like 3 words, and they all involve World War 2.


    Stupid French and their Voltaire and Jeannette d'Arc and Louis the Pious and such. But not Canadian French...that's just useless...it just accomplishes getting French audio tracks on my DVDs instead of useful ones...like Russian or German (hey, the Russians controlled Alaska at one point, at least). Bah, at least it sort of sounds fairly nice.
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  • BreakthroughBreakthrough Texture Artist (ns_prometheus) Join Date: 2005-03-27 Member: 46620Members, Constellation
    OMFNEG, I'm going to shoot the next person who types in French. I had to take a whole semester with the <i>worst</i> French teacher.

    GG Canada... At least the nightmare is over - no French for me. Ever. Except in France. And Quebec.
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  • InsaneInsane Anomaly Join Date: 2002-05-13 Member: 605Members, Super Administrators, Forum Admins, NS1 Playtester, Forum Moderators, NS2 Developer, Constellation, NS2 Playtester, Squad Five Blue, NS2 Map Tester, Subnautica Developer, Pistachionauts, Future Perfect Developer
    edited June 2005
    <!--QuoteBegin-Rover+Jun 16 2005, 09:03 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Rover @ Jun 16 2005, 09:03 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> <!--QuoteBegin-Insane+Jun 16 2005, 10:37 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Insane @ Jun 16 2005, 10:37 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> "Ah, it has a certain... <i>je ne sais quoi</i>."

    Of course, you could just say, "I don't have anything to say." <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
    je ne sais quoi = i don't know what...



    EDIT: by that I don't mean I don't know what it means...It actually means that <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin-fix.gif' /><!--endemo--> <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
    I'm aware of this fact, I was simply pointing out that in my experience people tend to use the phrase when they have nothing meaningful to say.

    Looking back, I didn't make that very clear.
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