Ceraulen's Blog - Express yourself in English!

16 mars 2008

What are the meanings of colours?

Hello everybody!

Nice to talk with you again!
A couple of months ago, I found an interesting subject about colours and expressions linked to different kind of colours .

Somewhere over the rainbow...

See article to get more details about VOA: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voice_of_America
Voice of America (VOA), is the official external radio and television broadcasting service of the United States federal government. Its oversight entity is the Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG).

I selected this topic because we live with colours but do not have a clear notion of their interpretation. This subject was particularly appreciated by the members of the circle.

We started studying the VOA article. Here it is (quote):
http://www.voanews.com/specialenglish/archive/2007-04/2007-04-01-voa1.cfm

Colors:  I'm Feeling Very Blue Today
Many everyday American expressions are based on colors.  Transcript of radio broadcast:  01 April 2007

Now, the VOA Special English program, Words and Their Stories.

Every people has its own way of saying things, its own special expressions. Many everyday American expressions are based on colors.

Red is a hot color. Americans often use it to express heat. They may say they are red hot about something unfair. When they are red hot they are very angry about something. The small hot tasting peppers found in many Mexican foods are called red hots for their color and their fiery taste. Fast loud music is popular with many people. They may say the music is red hot, especially the kind called Dixieland jazz.

Pink is a lighter kind of red. People sometimes say they are in the pink when they are in good health. The expression was first used in America at the beginning of the twentieth century.  It probably comes from the fact that many babies are born with a nice pink color that shows that they are in good health.

Blue is a cool color. The traditional blues music in the United States is the opposite of red hot music. Blues is slow, sad and soulful.  Duke Ellington and his orchestra recorded a famous song – Mood Indigo – about the deep blue color, indigo. In the words of the song: “You ain’t been blue till you’ve had that Mood Indigo.” Someone who is blue is very sad.

The color green is natural for trees and grass. But it is an unnatural color for humans. A person who has a sick feeling stomach may say she feels a little green.  A passenger on a boat who is feeling very sick from high waves may look very green.

Sometimes a person may be upset because he does not have something as nice as a friend has, like a fast new car. That person may say he is green with envy. Some people are green with envy because a friend has more dollars or greenbacks. Dollars are called greenbacks because that is the color of the back side of the paper money.

The color black is used often in expressions. People describe a day in which everything goes wrong as a black day. The date of a major tragedy is remembered as a black day.  A blacklist is illegal now.  But at one time, some businesses refused to employ people who were on a blacklist for belonging to unpopular organizations.

In some cases, colors describe a situation. A brown out is an expression for a reduction in electric power.  Brown outs happen when there is too much demand for electricity.  The electric system is unable to offer all the power needed in an area. Black outs were common during World War Two. Officials would order all lights in a city turned off to make it difficult for enemy planes to find a target in the dark of night.

I also found some expressions including colours on the BBC website. Can you guess some of them? http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/grammar/learnit/learnitv337.shtml

Quote:

We have many idiomatic expressions involving the whole range of colours in English. In answering your question, Michal, we will have a look today at just three colours: red, white and blue (the colours of our national flag).

white colour idioms
White in British culture is traditionally associated with purity and innocence. See if you can work out the meaning of the following white colour idioms word for word. Then check your understanding by reading examples of how they are used in context. Finally, check again against the explanations given.

go as white as a sheet
white coffee
a white-collar worker
tell a white lie
whiter than white

The news must've been bad.  She went as white as a sheet when she read the telegram.
- Do you want white or black coffee? - White please.  Well, dark brown, actually - just a dash of milk.
He hopes to get a white-collar job, though, with his level of education, he'll be lucky to get a blue-collar one.
It's OK to tell a white lie.  It doesn't do any harm and it nearly always does some good.
She's whiter than white - the image of perfection.  In her entire life she has never put a foot wrong.

ANSWERS

go as white as a sheet:  become extremely pale in the face
white coffee:  coffee with milk (note: not white tea;  instead: tea with milk)
white-collar worker:  an office worker  (note blue-collar = factory or physical work)
tell a white lie:  telling a lie to avoid making someone upset
whiter than white:  someone who is totally fair and honest

red colour idioms Red is often associated with anger or danger (red traffic lights). In British culture, red-haired people (redheads) are traditionally hot-tempered and high-spirited. Try to work out the meaning of these red colour idioms in the same way as before.

 be in the red
see red
roll out the red carpet
paint the town red
a red-letter day

She's always in the red, never in the black.  No overdraft would ever be big enough for her.
When she realised saw that no housework had been done all week, she saw red and banished us from her holiday
It'll be time to roll out the red carpet when Auntie Meg returns home.  We haven't seen her for twenty years.
They decided they would paint the town red after winning so much money by gambling on the horses.
It was a red-letter day for us when we were able to move into our new holiday house - the house of our dreams.

ANSWERS

be in the red:  have minus amounts on one's bank account (in the black = in credit)
see red:  lose one's temper; become suddenly angry
roll out the red carpet:  put on a special welcome for an important person
paint the town red:  enjoy yourself by going to bars and/or clubs
a red-letter day:  a very happy or exciting day

blue colour idioms

Blue is traditionally the colour of boys' clothes in British culture - pink for girls. It is also associated with loyalty and true love. Try to work out the meaning of these blue colour idioms in the same way as before.

a blue movie
out of the blue
scream blue murder
the boys in blue
a blue-eyed boy

Blue movies, or adult videos as they are sometimes called, are normally only available from sex shops.
His suggestion that we should move to Cyprus came completely out of the blue.  I wasn't expecting it.
They started to scream blue murder when I told them they would have to work an extra half an hour on Saturday afternoons.
It's a criminal offence.  We can't sweep it under the carpet.  We should hand it over to the boys in blue.
He's the blue-eyed boy of skateboarding all right.  He's won this competition five times.

ANSWERS

a blue movie:  a film with explicit adult scenes
out of the blue:  suddenly and unexpectedly
scream blue murder:  make a lot of fuss; shout loudly and emotionally in protest
the boys in blue:  the uniformed police
a blue-eyed boy:  a young man (grudgingly) admired because he is successful

Finally, Jennifer Kyrnin with her analysis about "Color symbolism chart by culture" gave us the final view of the circle. To enlarge, always enlarge our point of view and think in terms of international way.
Here is her item extracted from http://webdesign.about.com/od/color/a/bl_colorculture.htm

Understand the Meanings of Color in Various Cultures Around the World

If you use color on your Web site, then you should be aware of how your audience views those colors. This is especially important if you are designing a site that is intended for an audience of a different culture than your own (or a global audience). The cultural basis for color symbolism can be very powerful, and if you don't understand what you're saying with your colors, you can make big mistakes.

Red

• China: Good luck, celebration, summoning
• Cherokees: Success, triumph
• India: Purity
• South Africa: Color of mourning
• Russia: Bolsheviks and Communism
• Eastern: Worn by brides
• Western: Excitement, danger, love, passion, stop, Christmas (with green)

Orange

• Ireland: Religious (Protestants)
• Western: Halloween (with black), creativity, autumn

Yellow

• China: Nourishing
• Egypt: Color of mourning
• Japan: Courage
• India: Merchants
• Western: Hope, hazards, coward

Green

• China: Green hats indicate a man's wife is cheating on him, exorcism
• India: Islam
• Ireland: Symbol of the entire country
• Western: Spring, new birth, go, Saint Patrick's Day, Christmas (with red)

Blue

• Cherokees: Defeat, trouble
• Iran: Color of heaven and spirituality
• Western: Depression, sadness, conservative, corporate, "something blue" bridal tradition

Purple

• Thailand: Color of mourning (widows)
• Western: Royalty

White

• Japan: White carnation symbolizes death
• Eastern: Funerals
• Western: Brides, angels, good guys, hospitals, doctors, peace (white dove)

Black

• China: Color for young boys
• Western: Funerals, death, Halloween (with orange), bad guys, rebellion

Hope you have found this item as interesting as it was pleased to write down.
Talk to you shortly!

With best wishes,
Ceraulen

PS: a strange colour, an anagram (once more of my first name Laurence) is also a colour:

cerulean (uncountable) - http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/cerulean

(color) A deep blue colour, like the sky on a fine day.

cerulean colour:

Cerulean may be applied to a range of colors from deep blue, sky-blue, bright blue or azure color through greenish blue colors.

The first recorded use of cerulean as a color name in English was in 1590.The word is probably derived from the Latin word caeruleus, "dark blue, blue or blue-green", which in turn probably derives from caelulum, diminutive of caelum, "heaven, sky. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cerulean_blue)

And finally... Hope and Happiness: Yellow is sunshine. It is a warm color that, like red, has conflicting symbolism. On the one hand it denotes happiness and joy but on the other hand yellow is the color of cowardice and deceit.

 

13 mars 2007

Awards and recognition

Dear readers,

Well today, following the various Awards Ceremonies (Academy awards: Ceremonie des Oscars, Cesars, Victoires de la Musique and else), it is worth (cela vaut la peine) wondering (se demander) whether they are necessary or not.

When you type "awards and recognition" in Google, you cannot imagine how many websites are listed. You can even find the ARA, Awards and Recognition Association which is "is a membership organization of 4,000 companies dedicated to increasing the professionalism of recognition specialists and advancing the awards and engraving industry (industrie de la gravure)".
http://www.ara.org/about/who.cfm

What means "award" and "recognition"?
The noun "award" has 3 meanings:

1) a grant made by a law court (dommages et interets donnes par un tribunal)
2) a tangible symbol signifying approval or distinction (in studies for example - un prix)
3) something given for victory or superiority in a contest (concours) or competition

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
An award is something given to a person or group of people to recognize excellence in a certain field. Awards are often signified by trophies, titles, certificates, commemorative plaques, medals, badges, pins or ribbons. An award can carry a monetary prize given to the recipient, for instance, the Nobel Prize for contributions to society, or the Pulitzer Prize for literary achievements. An award can also simply be a public acknowledgment of excellence, without a tangible token or a prize.

Awards can be given by any person or institution, although the prestige of an award may depend on the status of the awarder. Usually, awards are given by an organization of some sort, or by the office of an official within an organization or government. For instance, a special presidential citation (as given by the President of the United States) is a public announcement giving an official place of honor (e.g. President Ronald Reagan gave a special presidential citation in 1984 to the Disney Channel for its excellent children's television programming).

The verb is "to reward": recompenser (someone for...)
Recognition has also different meanings. The one in which we are interested is related to attention or favourable notice.

Let us study deeply this relationship between "award" and recognition".
Extract from the text by Chris Rose on the British Council Website.

The Nobels are the originals, of course. Alfred Nobel, the man who invented deadly explosives decided to try and do something good with all the moeny he earned (gagner), and gave prizes to people who made progress in literature, sciences , economics and maybe msot importantly peace (...)

(...) there are hundreds of awards and awards ceremonies for all kind of things.
The Oscars are probably the most famous, a time for the (mostly) American film industry to tell itself how good it is, an annual opportunity for lots of big stars to give each other awards and make tearful (larmoyant) speeches (...)

(...) Awards do not only exist for the arts. There are awards for Sports Personality of the Year, for European Footballer of the Year and World Footballer of the Year. This seems very strange - sometimes awards can be good to give recognition to people who deserve it, or help people who do not make a lot of money carry on their work without worrying about finances but professional soccer players these days certainly are not short (etre a court de) of cash (...)

(...) Why all these awards and ceremonies appeared recently? Shakespeare never won a prize, nor Leonardo da Vinci or Adam Smith or Charles Dickens (...) In the past, scientists and artists could win "patronage" (mecenat) from rich people (...) With the change in social systems accross the world, this is no longer happens. A lot of scientific research is now either (a la fois) funded (finance) by the state or by private companies (...)

(...) Most awards ceremonies are now sponsored by big organisations or companies. This means that is not only the person who wins the awards who benefits - but also the sponsors.

(...) On the surface, it seems to be a "win-win" situation with everyone being happy, but let me ask you a question - how far do you think that publicity and marketing are winning here, and how much genuine (authentique) recognition of achievement (accomplissement, realisation) is taking place?


Well, receiving an award, a prize, a recognition sign is quite pleasant. All depends at which level this award is, if it is just popular and at small scale (city, university...) or large scale (national, worldwide).
A lot of people realize every day honourable facts or actions and they are recognized and appreciated by the others. No need of crying it from the housetops (crier quelque chose sur les toits).
Maybe the most important is to be generous towards others not materially speaking but thanks to your behaviour ;-)

Well, to finish, here is a list of the most famous awards. Some of them are typically British:

GOLDEN GLOBES

The Hollywood Foreign Press Association was founded more than 60 years ago by a group of Los Angeles-based journalists working for overseas publications. Its annual Golden Globe awards have enabled the non-profit organization to donate more than $6.5 million in the past twelve years to entertainment-related charities, as well as funding scholarships and other programs for future film and television professionals. In the year 2006 the donation was more than one million dollars.

http://www.thegoldenglobes.com/

GRAMMIES

The recording industry's most prestigious award, the GRAMMY, is presented annually by The Recording Academy. A GRAMMY is awarded by The Recording Academy's voting membership to honor excellence in the recording arts and sciences. It is truly a peer honor, awarded by and to artists and technical professionals for artistic or technical achievement, not sales or chart positions (GRAMMY Awards Process). The annual GRAMMY Awards presentation brings together thousands of creative and technical professionals in the recording industry from all over the world.

http://www.grammy.com/

BRITS

The Brit Awards are industry-voted awards, rewarding stars who are liked by a lot of people and therefore make the industry a lot of money.

http://brits.co.uk/

MERCURY PRIZE

The Mercury Prize, currently known as the Nationwide Mercury Prize for sponsorship reasons, is an annual music prize awarded for the best British or Irish album of the previous 12 months. It was established by the BPI and BARD (the British Association of Record Dealers) in 1992 as an alternative to the industry-dominated Brit awards. It was originally sponsored by the now-defunct telecoms company Mercury, followed in 1998 by Technics and starting in 2004 the Nationwide Building Society [1]. It is often observed that bands who are nominated for, or indeed win the prize experience a large increase in album sales, particularly for the lesser known nominees

http://www.nationwidemercurys.com/

Q award

THE Q AWARDS 2006 brought to you by Yahoo! Music took place today at London's Grosvenor House Hotel and proved that it is, undoubtedly, THE music event of the year.

http://www.qawards.co.uk/qawards/

TURNER PRIZE

The Turner Prize is an annual prize presented to a British visual artist under 50, named after the painter J.M.W. Turner. It is organized by the Tate Gallery, and since its beginnings in 1984 it has become the United Kingdom's most publicised art award. It has become associated with conceptual art, although it represents all media and painters have also won the prize.

The prize fund from 2004 onwards was £40,000. There have been different sponsors, including Channel 4 television and Gordon's gin. The prize is awarded by a distinguished celebrity: in 2006 this was Yoko Ono.

It is a controversial event, mainly for its exhibits, such as a shark in formaldehyde by Damien Hirst and a dishevelled bed by Tracey Emin. Controversy has also ensued from other directions, including a Culture Minister (Kim Howells criticising exhibits), a guest of honour (Madonna swearing), a prize judge (Lynn Barber writing in the press) and a speech by Sir Nicholas Serota (about the purchase of a trustee's work).

PULITZER PRIZE

The Pulitzer Prize is an American award regarded as the highest national honor in print journalism, literary achievements, and musical composition. It is administered by Columbia University in New York City.

Prizes are awarded yearly in twenty-one categories. In twenty of these, each winner receives a certificate and a US$10,000 cash award. The winner in the public service category of the journalism competition is awarded a gold medal, which always goes to a newspaper, although an individual may be named in the citation.

The prize was established by Joseph Pulitzer, a Hungarian-American journalist and newspaper publisher, who left money to Columbia University upon his death in 1911. A portion of his bequest was used to found the university's journalism school in 1912. The first Pulitzer Prizes were awarded on June 4, 1917, and they are now announced each April. Recipients are chosen by an independent board

http://www.pulitzer.org/

PRIX GONCOURT

The Académie Goncourt is a literary organization based in Paris, France that was founded in 1900 in accordance with the wishes of French writer and publisher Edmond de Goncourt (1822-1896), and in opposition to the then existing policies towards writers by the Académie française.

Wishing to honor his deceased brother Jules (1830-1870), de Goncourt named his friend Alphonse Daudet to oversee his estate that he bequeathed for the establishment of an organization to promote literature in France. Each December since 1903, a ten-member Board of the Académie has awarded the Prix Goncourt for the best work of fiction of the year. It is the most prestigious prize in French language literature, and a seat on the Board is a much-cherished position in the French literary world.

http://www.academie-goncourt.fr/ (in French)

PRIX FEMINA

The Prix Femina is a French literary prize created in 1904 by 22 writers for the magazine La Vie heureuse (today known as Femina). The prize is decided each year by an exclusively female jury. The winner is announced on the first Wednesday of November each year.

The Prix Femina is often misspelled Prix Fémina but it is officially spelled without an accent even in French.

http://www.prix-litteraires.net/femina.php (in French)

PRIX MEDICIS

The Prix Médicis is a French literary award given each year in November. It was founded in 1958 by Gala Barbisan and Jean-Pierre Giraudoux. It is awarded to an author whose "fame does not yet match their talent." In 1970 the Prix Médicis étranger, a foreign prize, was added to award a writer each year from around the world. The Prix Médicis essai is awarded since 1980 for non-fictional works.

 

PRIX RENAUDOT

The prix Renaudot (also called "prix Théophraste Renaudot") is a literary award which was created in 1926 by ten art critics awaiting the results of the deliberation of the jury of the prix Goncourt.

The prix Renaudot, while not officially related to the prix Goncourt, is a kind of complement to it, announcing its laureate at the same time and place as the prix Goncourt, namely on the first Tuesday of November at the Drouant restaurant in Paris.

http://www.prix-litteraires.net/medicis.php

That is for today! Talk to you shortly.

With best wishes,

Ceraulen

30 janvier 2007

Key sentences to keep in mind

Dear readers,

Come back to you with pleasure!
Well, as it is quite important to keep in mind some key sentences and use them in conversation, here is a summary which could be very helpful in private or professional life.

1) EXPRESS YOUR IDEAS
first / firstly : premierement, en premier lieu
first of all, in the first place : au prealable, pour commencer
first and foremost: avant toute autre chose
to start with / to begin with: pour commencer, au prealable, d'abord

in the second place / secondly : deuxiemement
the second point is : la deuxieme idee est
then, next : ensuite, apres
after that : apres cela

besides : d'autre part, par ailleurs
moreover, in addition, furthermore : en outre
in addition to...: en plus de
what is more : et qui plus est

on the one hand : d'une part
on the other hand : d'autre part

as for : quant a
as regards, as concerns, as far as... is concerned : en ce qui concerne
concerning, regarding : en ce qui concerne

to sum up : en resume
in a word : en un mot
in short : en bref
last but not least : enfin et surtout
all things considered : tout compte fait
all in all: somme toute

2) EXPRESS YOUR OPINION
In my opinion, to my mind, in my view : a mon avis
as for me : quant a moi
personally, I think that... : personnellement, je pense que
my view is that... : mon point de vue est que...
I have the feeling that... : j'ai l'impression que
I am inclined to think that : j'ai tendance a penser que
The point that I want to make is that... : l'idee que je veux faire passer est que

3) COMPARISON AND CONTRAST
likewise, similarly, in the same way : de la meme maniere, de meme
in comparison with, as compared to : en comparaison de, par rapport a
beyond compare : sans comparaison
compared with : compare a
the same applies to ... : ceci s'applique a
on the contrary : au contraire
unlike, contrary to, as opposed to : contrairement a, a l'inverse de
in contrast with : a l'oppose de
as distinct from : par opposition a
conversely : inversement, par contre
except : mis a part, sauf
with the exception of : a l'exception de
regardless of : sans tenir compte de
apart from : a part

Will continue soon...

With best wishes,
Ceraulen

18 janvier 2007

Some tips in English vocabulary

Dear all,

Have you never experienced some doubtful moments when you say something and wonder if what you have just said is correct? It often occurs (happens) when two words have a very similar meaning or pronunciation. Let us look at some of them:

* MINERS & MINORS
A miner is someone whose job is to dig the earth. In France, the North and East were specialized in such industry in the nineteenth century.
Minors represent very young people under 18 years old in France. They are not considered as adult by the society.

* QUITE & QUIET
Much of the difficulty in the word "quite" comes from the general rule (there are exceptions) that the affirmative "quite" is the equivalent of "rather" (plutot). Example: It is quite expensive.
On the opposite, the negative "quite" means "completely" (tout a fait). Example: It is not quite ready.

Quiet means without noise. There is two syllable (kwai-yette) whereas for quite, we have only one (kwaitte).

* HAUT DE GAMME?
Upscale and downscale / upmarket and downmarket. These terms are used about nearly any product, newspapers included, and correspond roughly to "haut de gamme" and "bas de gamme".

* DEALS AND DEALERS
Be careful! The noun "deal", the verb "to deal" and the person " a dealer" all have rather different senses.
A deal is "une affaire", a good deal, a bad deal, we made a deal. The connotation is sometimes, but not always dishonest. It is a deal = c'est d'accord!
To deal in something can be neutral - she deals in used office machines - or pejorative - he deals in drugs and illegal arms.
A dealer is even more dangerous: The word is limited to drug dealers, arms dealers and, curiously car dealers and antique dealers.

* A DENT OR A BUMP?
Unlike in French, dents and bumps in English are very specific. A dent is concave. A bump is convex.
Ex: Your car has a dent.
If you bump (cognez) your head, you may have a bump on your head...
In both cases, the French term is "bosse".

* ARE YOU SICK, ILL OR DISEASED?
How do you say "etre malade" in English?
To be sick is the simplest and most common and maybe the best expression.
"To be ill" is more bourgeois.
"Disease/diseased" is either a clinical and scientific term, or a word that connotes gravity, even horror.
Beware! In British English, "I am going to be sick" means "je vais vomir!".

* IN JAIL OR IN PRISON?
These two words mean about the same thing, but jail is a bit more temporary. If you are in prison, it is probably for a long time.
Note that in Great Britain, you can find "jail" spelt as "gaol". The pronounciation is the same.

* IT SUITS YOU
A suit is, of course, un costume. But to suit is a verb meaning to be acceptable or to go well with. The new contract suits me very well. That colour suits you.

* AGENDA & SCHEDULE
An agenda is not "un agenda" but "un ordre du jour".
A schedule is anything that coordinates "what" with "when": your personal schedule (agenda), a train schedule (horaire)...

* RUBBISH!
Garbage, rubbish, trash and junk are all often used figuratively.
Rubbish! Garbage! are exclamations that indicate something of no value (foutaise!).
Trash tends to communicate low moral value: Hollywood makes a lot of trashy films.

* ARE YOU MEAN?
In British English, mean = avare.
In American, mean = mechant.

* WEDDINGS & MARRIAGES
A wedding is the ceremony of marriage. Marriage is the resulting state.
Weddings can be expensive and complicated, but they are nothing compared to marriage...

What do you think about these remarks?

With best wishes,
Ceraulen

15 janvier 2007

Some cultural facts

Dear readers,

Today, we will continue studying some cultural facts. Here we go!

* LOCAL (REGIONAL) AND NATIONAL NEWSPAPERS
All of the British newspapers you are likely to know of are national - even the former Manchester Guardian is now The Guardian.
Besides, in the United States, most newspapers are "local" - The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Washington Times... And these newspapers are indeed difficult to find out their areas - especially on the day of publication.
Only a few American newspapers are national (The Wall Street Journal, The Christian Science Monitor, USA Today).

* TABLOIDS
Among the popular newspapers, called "tabloids" to distinguish them from the "quality press", the most famous is "The Sun" which is notoriously anti-European and specifically anti-French. It is the most popular newspaper in England.

The tabloids are in smaller format than the quality papers (the original meaning of the word was compact and concise).
They are easier to read in the cramped (inconfortables) conditions of the Underground!

* WITH ELEGANCE
If you want to speak elegant English, try to learn something that even many native speakers have not mastered : the difference between "to lie-lay-lain" (s'allonger, se coucher) and "to lay-laid-laid" (allonger, mettre).
"To lie" has no direct object : I was lying on the bed. He lays down.
"To lay" always has a direct object : I laid the baby in its bed. He laid the plans on the table.

* BASEBALL
Baseball is traditionally, historically and linguistically the most important sport in the US.
If you get a chance, take a few hours and learn something about the game: it will help your English (like cricket in Great Britain).

"To play hardball" (as opposed to playing football) is to play the faster, harder, more dangerous and more difficult game - figuratively, to act seriously and severely.

*FRENGLISH
Lots of French words are used in daily English: connoisseur, cliché, amateur... You just have to know which ones, and how to pronounce them. Also, how to spell them, because English often uses an ancient spelling of a French word: connoisseur, Rheims, Lyons... So you get the impression of "déjà vu!".

* CLUMSY OR AWKWARD?
Each term is the rough equivalent of the French maladroit. But clumsy is more physical: You knock over a vase and say, "How clumsy of me!"
Awkward is more figurative or emotional: an awkward moment = un moment genant.

* TERRIBLE OR TERRIFIC?
Terrible is very bad; terrific is very good.
This is a terrible problem.
You are a genius: what a terrific idea!

* ADJUGE!
To bid = faire une enchere
The auctionneer says: "Going once! Going twice! Sold to the man in the blue suit!"

* THE NITTY-GRITTY
"The nitty-gritty" is the essential part, le fond, of a question or a deal.
Let us get down to the nitty-gritty : parlons de l'essentiel.

* WAY TOO EXPENSIVE!
"Way" does not only mean façon or voie - it is also a very common American adverb, generally spoken rather than written.
"Way" intensifies - it often intensifies words like too much, too little, too few, too many, or too + an adjective or an adverbe: way too hot, way too long (=much too hot, much too long).

With best wishes,
Ceraulen

19 décembre 2006

Focus on some adjectives

Dear readers,

Let us look at some adjectives and expressions today! For some of you, it will be just a way to revise, for others maybe a discovery. Hope they will be helpful to each of you!

- What is the difference between "accountable for" and "accountable to"?
"Accountable for" means you take the responsability for something, to be responsible for... "responsable de" in French whereas "accountable to" means "responsable devant".

- Same question for "angry about" and "angry with"
When you are angry about, there is an event or something which troubled you and made you enrage (rendre quelqu'un furieux): furieux a cause de.
When you are angry with something/someone, there is a strong notion of opposition, contrast: furieux contre.

- anxious about / anxious for
When your friend is anxious about her looks, she takes care or has a particular interest in her looks: qui se preoccupe de.
When your brother is anxious for promotion, he is waiting impatiently for it: qui attend avec impatience.

- concerned about - concerned by - concerned with
If Mummy is really concerned about Dad's health, that means she is worried about her husband's health: qui s'inquiete de.
If you are not concerned by this decision, this decision will not have any effect on you, your behaviour: concerne par.
On the contrary, if he is more concerned with efficiency than prestige, it means his interest is based on/he is more interested in efficiency than prestige: qui s'interesse a.

- good at - good to - good for
She is good at maths but her English level is terrible: bon en.
My grandmother was good to me because she was quite nice towards me: gentil avec.
Practising sport is good for health as it makes you breath: bon pour.

- mad about - mad at - mad with
I do not know why but I have the feeling that he is clearly mad about her. She does not care! (fou de)
Yesterday he was mad at me for telling Dad, he was so angry with me! (furieux contre)
He was mad with rage (fou de).

Some expressions to keep in mind:

- at a pinch: a la rigueur
- at will: a volonte
- at your disposal: a votre disposition
- for want of: a defaut de
- in the long run: a long terms
- in my opinion: a mon avis
- in turn: a son tour
- on no account: a aucun prix
- on condition that: a condition que
- on the radio: a la radio
- on second thoughts: a la reflexion
- on TV: a la television
- on foot: a pied
- at random: au hasard
- at least: au moins
- at worst: au pire
- at the latest: au plus tard
- in case: au cas ou
- in view of: au vu de
- on the whole: dans l'ensemble
- over the years: au fil des annees
- with Ford: chez Ford
- in the hope of: dans l'espoir de
- by my watch: d'apres ma montre
- by next Thursday: d'ici jeudi prochain
- by day: de jour
- from an economic point of view: d'un point de vue economique
- in a loud voice: d'une voix forte
- in preference to: de preference a
- on behalf of: de la part de, au nom de
- at present: en ce moment
- at risk: en danger
- at odds: en desaccord
- at issue: en discussion
- at war: en guerre
- at stake: en jeu
- at the same time: en meme temps
- at peace: en paix
- in advance: en avance
- in charge of: en charge de
- in comparison with: en comparaison de
- in compliance with: en conformite avec
- in exchange for: en echange de
- in addition to: en plus de
- in proportion to: en proportion de
- in reply to: en reponse a
- on arriving: en arrivant
- on good terms (with): en bons termes (avec)
- on fire: en feu
- on the move: en mouvement
- on average: en moyenne
- on account of: en raison de
- on the way: en route
- on holiday: en vacance
- under way: en cours de realisation
- under repair: en reparation
- by heart: par coeur
- by mistake: par erreur
- for example: par exemple
- for instance: par exemple
- for lack of: par manque de
- out of interest: par interet
- in the meantime: pendant ce temps
- over the weekend: pendant le week-end
- in earnest: pour de bon
- for the time being: pour l'instant
- in the rain: sous la pluie
- at once: tout de suite
- in accordance with: conformement a
- on Monday: lundi
- on one's own: seul
- by oneself: seul

EXCEPTIONS:
- at the end (of the text): a la fin (du texte)
- in the end (=eventually): au bout du compte
- in time: dans les delais
- on time: a l'heure
- at stake: en jeu (ce que l'on risque)
- at work: en jeu (en presence)

Now, you can use these expressions on the best way possible without hesitation!;-)

With best wishes,
Ceraulen

17 décembre 2006

Translation into mother tongue

Dear readers,

Well, today, we will study a kind of exercise you maybe did when you were in College : translation into mother tongue. The one I found is from A levels (baccalaureat) level. So, normally, it is easy for you. Let us start!

My first school

I was taken into a Form Room and told to sit at a desk. All the other boys were out of doors, and I was alone with the Form Master. He produced a thin greeny-brown, covered book filled with words in different types of print.
"You have never done any Latin before, have you?" he said.
"No, Sir."
"This is Latin grammar." He opened it at a well-thumbed page. "You must learn this", he said, pointing to a number of words in a frame of lines. "I will come back in half an hour and see what you know."
Behold me then on a gloomy evening, with an aching heart, seated in front of the First Declension.

mensa      a table
mensa      O table
mensam   a table
mensae    of a table
mensae    to or for a table
mensa      by, with or from a table

What on earth did it mean? Where was the sense in it? It seemed absolute rigmarole to me. However, there was something I could always do: I could learn it by heart. And I thereupon proceeded, as far as my private sorrows would allow, to memorize the task which had been set me.
In due course the Master returned.
"Have you learned it?" he asked.
"I think I can say it, sir.", I replied, and I gabbled it off.
He seemed so satisfied with that that I was emboldened to ask a question.
"What does it mean, sir?"
"It means what it says. Mensa, a table. Mensa is a noun of the First Declension. There are five declensions. You have learnt the singular of the First Declension."
"But", I repeated, "what does it mean?".
"Mensa means a table", he answered.
"Then why does Mensa also mean O table", I enquired, "and what does O table mean?"
"Mensa, O table is vocative case", he replied.
"But why O table?", I persisted in genuine curiosity.
"O table, - you would use that in adressing a table, in invoking a table." And then seeing he was not carrying me with him, "You would use it in speaking to a table."
"But, I never do," I blurted out in honest amazement.
"If you are impertinent, you will be punished, and punished, let me tell you, very severely," was his conclusive rejoinder.
Such was my first introduction to the classics from which, I have been told, many of our cleverest men have derived so much solace and profit.

Winston Churchill, My Early Life, 1930.

Let us try to translate the text sentence by sentence:

- My first School ---- Ma premiere ecole

- I was taken into a Form Room and told to sit at a desk.
Je fus conduit dans une salle d'etude et dit de m'asseoir a un bureau (voix passive en anglais et impersonnel en francais)

- All the other boys were out of doors,
Tous les autres eleves etaient sortis

- and I was alone with the Form Master.
et j'etais seul avec le maitre d'etude.

- He produced a thin greeny-brown, covered book
Il sortit un petit livre couvert de couleur marron verdatre

- filled with words in different types of print.
rempli de mots, de differents types de caracteres

- He opened it at a well-thumbed page.
Il l'ouvrit a une page bien "poucee" (marquee d'un pouce)

- "You must learn this", he said
"Vous devez apprendre ceci", dit-il,

-pointing to a number of words in a frame of lines.
montrant du doigt une liste de mots dans un cadre.

- "I will come back in half an hour and see what you know"
Je reviendrai dans une demi-heure pour voir ce que vous savez

- Behold me then on a gloomy evening,
Imaginez-moi alors dans un soir lugubre

- with an aching heart,
avec le coeur douloureux (le coeur gros)

- seated in front of the First Declension
assis en face de la premiere declinaison

- What on earth did it mean?
Qu'est-ce que tout cela pouvait bien vouloir dire?

- Where was the sense in it?
Ou etait le sens dans cela?

- It seemed absolute rigmarole to me.
Pour moi, c'etait du galimatias.

- However, there was something I could always do:
Cependant, il y avait quelque chose que je pouvais toujours faire:

- I could learn it by heart
je pouvais l'apprendre par coeur

- And thereupon proceeded,
Et je m'employai aussitot,

- as far as my private sorrows would allow,
pour autant que mon chagrin le permettait

- to memorize the task which had been set to me.
a memoriser la tache qui m'avait ete impartie

- In due course the Master returned.
En temps du (a l'heure dite), le maitre d'etude revint.

- "I think I can say it, sir", I replied, and I gabbled it off.
je pense que je peux la dire, monsieur, repondis-je; et je la debirai d'un trait

- He seemed so satisfied with that
Il en semble si satisfait

- that I was emboldened to ask a question.
que je m'enhardis a lui poser une question.

- "Mensa, O table is the vocative case", he replied.
"Mensa, O table est le vocatif", repondit-il?

- But why O table? I persisted in genuine curiosity.
Mais pourquoi O table? persistai-je en toute curiosite.

- O table - you would use that in adressing a table, in invoking a table.
O table s'utilise en s'adressant a une table, en invoquant une table

- And then seeing he was not carrying me with him,
Et alors en voyant qu'il ne m'avait pas convaincu,

"But I never do", I blurted out in honest amazement.
Mais je ne le fais jamais, m'exclamai-je sincerement surpris.

- "If you are impertinent, you will be punished, and punished, let me tell you, very severely"
Si vous etes impertinent, vous serez puni et puni, permettez-moi de vous le dire, tres severement,

- was his conclusive rejoinder.
fut son verdict final

- Such was my first introduction to the classics from which,
Telle fut mon introduction aux classiques (aux etudes classiques), desquelles,

- I have been told, many of our cleverest men have derived
m'a t'on dit, bien de nos personnalites les plus avisees ont tire

- so much solace and profit.
tant de reconfort et de benefices.

Here it is!

With best wishes,
Ceraulen

02 novembre 2006

What "a global mindset" means

Dear readers,

As you know, I really like cultural exchanges and open-minded (receptive to new and different ideas or the opinions of others; ouvert) people in general. Today, I have found for you a very relevant (having a bearing on or connection with the matter at hand, pertinente) definition of the expression “global mindset” and would like to share it with you.

WHAT “A GLOBAL MINDSET” MEANS

** mindset or mind-set (mīnd'sĕt') n. – definition from the website www.answers.com/

1. A fixed mental attitude or disposition that predetermines a person's responses to and interpretations of situations.

2. An inclination or a habit.

In employees, having a “global mindset” means not only the ability to communicate in other languages but also an attitude of mind : having an international perspective, the ability to overcome cultural barriers, sensitivity to different cultures and values (or cross-cultural awareness), the ability to adapt to and work effectively in different cultures and with people from different national cultures where there may be differences in hierarchy, authority, humour, attitudes to work...

**ability (ə-bĭl'ĭ-tē) n., pl. -ties.

1. The quality of being able to do something, especially the physical, mental,financial, or legal power to accomplish something.

2. A natural or acquired skill or talent.

3. The quality of being suitable for or receptive to a specified treatment;capacity

** perspective (pər-spĕk'tĭv) n.

1. 1. A view or vista.

   2. A mental view or outlook: “It is useful occasionally to look at the past to gain a perspective on the present” (Fabian Linden).

2. The appearance of objects in depth as perceived by normal binocular vision.

3. 1. The relationship of aspects of a subject to each other and to a whole: a perspective of history; a need to view the problem in the proper perspective.

   2. Subjective evaluation of relative significance; a point of view: the perspective of the displaced       homemaker.

   3. The ability to perceive things in their actual interrelations or comparative importance: tried to keep my       perspective throughout the crisis.

4. The technique of representing three-dimensional objects and depth relationships on a two-dimensional surface.

** overcome (ō'vər-kŭm') v., -came (-kām'), -come, -com·ing, -comes. v.tr.

1. To      defeat (another) in competition or conflict; conquer. See synonyms at defeat.      

2. To      prevail over; surmount: tried to overcome the obstacles of poverty.

3. To      overpower, as with emotion; affect deeply.

v.intr. To surmount opposition; be victorious

** sensitivity (sĕn'sĭ-tĭv'ĭ-tē) - n., pl. -ties.

1. The quality or condition of being sensitive.

2. The capacity of an organ or organism to respond to stimulation.

** cross-cultural (krôs'kŭl'chər-əl, krŏs'-) adj.

Comparing or dealing with two or more different cultures: a cross-cultural survey; cross-cultural influences on an artist's work.

** awareness noun

The condition of being aware: cognizance, consciousness, perception, sense 

** effectively (ĭ-fĕk'tĭv-lē) adv.

1. In an effective way.

2. For all practical purposes; in effect

How “a global mindset” is developed

Training courses and above all international experience at business schools and in companies, for instance (for example) in multicultural project team, are among the ways “a global mindset” is developed, even if some hold that the true cross-cultural manager is born and not made.

** among (ə-mŭng') also amongst (ə-mŭngst') prep.

1. In the midst of; surrounded by: a pine tree among cedars.

2. In the group, number, or class of: She is among the wealthy.

3. In the company of; in association with: traveling among a group of tourists.

4. By many or the entire number of; with many: a custom popular among the Greeks.

5. By the joint action of: Among us, we will finish the job.

6. With portions to each of: Distribute this among you.

7. Each with the other: Don't fight among yourselves. See Usage Note at between

** To hold : To retain one's attention or interest

Why it is important for companies to have managers with a global mindset

With the integration of the economies of the European Union, European companies are working more and more closely together while cross-border mergers are taking place with increasing frequency. Companies are increasingly working in international alliances, for example to exploit technology through licences and other agreements, or because they source internationally and have international suppliers.

** closely adverb To a point near in time, space, or relation

** while conj. 

1. As long as; during the time that: It was lovely while it lasted.

2. At the same time that; although: While the grandparents love the children, they are strict with them.

3. Whereas; and: The soles are leather, while the uppers are canvas.

** cross-border adj. - transfrontalier

** merger (mûr'jər) n.

1. The act or an instance of merging; union.

2. The union of two or more commercial interests or corporations.

3. Law. The absorption of a lesser estate, liability,right, action, or offense into a greater one.

** increase (ĭn-krēs') v., -creased, -creas·ing, -creas·es.

1. To become greater or larger.

2. To multiply; reproduce.

v.tr. - To make greater or larger.

Barriers between markets are being broken down at ever greater speed in the rich countries of the O.E.C.D. as well as the emerging economies of Southeast Asia, China, Mexico, Brazil... This means there will be increasingly fierce competition for firms on their domestic markets as these markets open up to global competition and, simultaneously, innumerable opportunities in overseas markets for companies that are ready to export or invest abroad. Globalisation enables companies to choose to relocate production from high-cost countries to low-cost countries. It has been estimated that the value of the markets open to global competition will be worth about USD21 trillion by the year 2000, whereas their worth was of USD4 trillion in 1995.

** to break down: défoncer, démolir

** OECD: abbr. Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development – In French OCDE

** as well as conj. And in addition: courageous as well as strong.

prep. In addition to – aussi bien que

** Emerging Market

A foreign economy that is developing in response to the spread of capitalism and has created its own stock market. Analagous (similar or alike in such a way as to permit the drawing of an analogy) to small growth companies, emerging markets have high potential as well as high risk.

** fierce (fîrs) adj., fiercer, fiercest.

1. Having a savage and violent nature; ferocious. See synonyms at cruel.      

2. Extremely severe or violent; terrible: “the fierce thunders roar me their music” (Ezra Pound).

3. Extremely intense or ardent: fierce loyalty. See synonyms at intense.      

4. Strenuously active or resolute: a fierce attempt to escape.

5. Informal. Very difficult or unpleasant: a fierce exam.

6. Savage or threatening in appearance.

** domestic (də-mĕs'tĭk) adj.

Here : Of or relating to a country's internal affairs: domestic issues such as tax rates and highway construction. Produced in or indigenous to a particular country: domestic oil; domestic wine. 

** open up : Become available or accessible 

** enable (ĕ-nā'bəl) tr.v., -bled, -bling, -bles.

1. 1. To supply with the means, knowledge, or opportunity; make able: a hole in the fence that enabled us to       watch; techniques that enable surgeons to open and repair the heart.      

   2. To make feasible or possible: funds that will enable construction of new schools.

2. To give legal power, capacity, or sanction to: a law enabling the new federal agency.

3. To make operational; activate: enabled the computer's modem; enable a nuclear warhead.

** worth¹ (wûrth) n.

1. The quality that renders something desirable, useful, or valuable: the worth of higher education.

2. Material or market value: stocks having a worth of ten million dollars.

3. A quantity of something that may be purchased for a specified sum or by a specified means: ten dollars' worth of natural gas; wanted their money's worth.

4. Wealth; riches: her net worth.

5. Quality that commands esteem or respect; merit: a person of great worth.

adj. 

1. Equal in value to something specified: worth its weight in gold.

2. Deserving of; meriting: a proposal not worth consideration.

3. Having wealth or riches amounting to: a person worth millions.

** trillion (trĭl'yən) n.

1. The cardinal number equal to 10¹²

2. Chiefly British. The cardinal number equal to 10¹⁸.

This movement is being accelerated by the revolution in broadcasting, communications and computing which increases the possibilities for information to pass over borders unimpeded. Companies can instantaneously reach customers worldwide via the Internet, for instance. Multinational are exploiting such new technologies as videolinks and interactive computers to enable teams of designers throughout the world to work together on the same projects, which means that they can talk with each other as they work on the same images. Such methods also lead to valuable time gains as engineers working in Asia pursue during America’s nighttime the work done by the US engineers during their daytime. It also permits these companies to profit by input of skills and knowledges from different parts of the world. All this to provide competitve edge.

** broadcasting
IN BRIEF: The process of transmitting radio or television signals on airwaves.

** pass over v

Definition: ignore, disregard
Antonyms: attend, heed, take care, tap

** to pursue v.intr. 

1. To follow in an effort to overtake or capture; chase.

2. To carry on; continue.

** input (ĭn'pʊt') n.

1. Something put into a system or expended in its operation to achieve output or a result, especially:
   1. Energy, work, or power used to drive a machine.

   2. Current, electromotive force, or power supplied to an electric circuit, network, or device.

   3. Computer Science. Information put into a communications system for transmission or into a computer       system for processing.

   4. Computer Science. A position,terminal, or station at which input enters a system.

   5. Any of the items, including materials, equipment, and funds, required for production.

2. 1. The act of putting in; infusion: a steady input of fuel.

   2. An amount put in.

3. Usage Problem.
   1. Contribution of information or a comment or viewpoint: a discussion with input from all members of the group.

   2. Information in general.

** knowl·edge (nŏl'ĭj) n.

1. The state or fact of knowing.

2. Familiarity, awareness, or understanding gained through experience or study.

3. The sum or range of what has been perceived, discovered, or learned.

4. Learning; erudition: teachers of great knowledge.

5. Specific information about something.

6. Carnal knowledge.

** an edge : A margin of superiority; an advantage

Another factor is the increasingly vast amounts of capital which are increasingly mobile, so investors are ready and able to invest in any part of the world in ventures whose likely rate of return is attractive.

In such a context of global markets, companies which do not have a global mindset will become increasingly vulnerable.

** venture (vĕn'chər) n.

1. An undertaking that is dangerous, daring, or of uncertain outcome.

2. A business enterprise involving some risk in expectation of gain.

3. Something, such as money or cargo, at hazard in a risky enterprise.

** likely : Probably

** Rate Of Return

The gain or loss of an investment over a specified period, expressed as a percentage increase over the initial investment cost. Gains on investments are considered to be any income received from the security, plus realized capital gains.

** attractive (ə-trăk'tĭv) adj.

1. Having the power to attract.

2. Pleasing to the eye or mind; charming.

** vulnerable adj Liable to succumb, as to persuasion or temptation.

Hope you have found this article interesting! Thanks to let me know your comments and remarks about it! I have tried to give you explanations in English to enlarge your vocabulary. Hope this will be helpful for you!

With best wishes,

Ceraulen

28 octobre 2006

Some proverbs to remember

Dear all,

Sometimes we need to add some proverbs to be a brilliant conversationalist. (briller dans la conversation)

Here are some examples that you can remember and say from time to another:

All is well that ends well.
Tout est bien qui finit bien.

There is no smoke without fire.
Il n'y a  pas de fumee sans feu.

Out of sight, out of mind.
Loin des yeux, loin du coeur.

When the cat is away the mice will pay.
Quand le chat s'est pas la, les souris dansent.

Putting the cart before the horse.
Mettre la charrue avant les boeufs.

Still waters run deep.
Il faut se mefier de l'eau qui dort.

It takes all sorts to make a world.
Il faut de tout pour faire un monde.

To kill two birds with one stone.
Faire d'une pierre, deux coups.

The straw that breaks the camel's back (it was the last straw).
La goutte d'eau qui fait deborder le vase.

Make hay while the sun shines.
Il faut battre le fer tant qu'il est chaud.

It never rains but it pours.
Un malheur ne vient jamais seul.

Every cloud has a silver lining.
Apres la pluie, le beau temps.

Birds of a feather flock together.
Qui se ressemble, s'assemble.

A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.
Un tiens vaut mieux que deux tu l'auras.

To run with the hare and hunt with the hounds.
Menager la chevre et le chou.

You cannot teach an old dog new tricks.
On n'apprend pas a un vieux singe a faire la grimace.

Together we stand, divided we fall.
L'union fait la force.

Do not count your chickens before they are hatched.
Il ne faut pas vendre la peau de l'ours avant de l'avoir tue.

Do not put all your eggs in one basket.
Il ne faut pas mettre tous ses oeufs dans le meme panier.

Too many cooks spoil the broth.
Trop de cuisinieres gatent la sauce.

You cannot have your cake and eat it.
On ne peut avoir le beurre et l'argent du beurre.

Hope they can be helpful for you.

With best wishes,
Ceraulen

24 octobre 2006

Faux amis - Suite & end

Dear all,

To close this chapter, otherwise, it will be too long and we will lose necessary energy, we will finish today to study this point. Let us give a final effort on this matter before selecting another subject maybe less serious but also pleasant!

L

63- labourer = travailleur manuel

Laboureur = ploughman (GB), plowman (US)

64- library = bibliotheque (institution et local)

librairie = bookshop, bookstore

65- location = emplacement, situation

location = hiring (GB), renting (US), rental

66- lunatic = fou, dément, cinglé

lunatique = whimsical

67- lunch = dejeuner (midi)

lunch = buffet

M

68- meeting = réunion

meeting (politique) = rally, meeting

69- minute (adj) = minsucule, infime

minute (n) = minute

70- mundane = quelconque, ordinaire, banal

mondain = social, fashionable

71- morale= (le) moral (des troupes)

(la) morale= morals, morality

72- mercantile= marchand, commercial, commerçant

mercantile= mercenary, venal

N

73- novel = roman

nouvelle (litt) = short story, (info) a piece of news

O

74- offence (GB), offense (US)= délit, infraction

offense= insult, trespass (religieux)

75- officious= trop empressé

officieux= unofficial

76- onerous= lour a supporter, pénible

onéreux= expensive, costly

77- opportunity= occasion (de faire), chance

opportunité= timeliness

P

78- particular= précis, exigeant

particulier= specific, particular, private

79- to pass an exam= réussir un examen

passer un examen= to take/to sit for/an exam

80- patent= brevet d’invention

patente= trading licence (GB), business licence (US)

81- patron= clientèle, habitué

patron= boss, pattern (couture)

82- performance = représntation (spectacle), interprétation (d’un artiste), comportement (d’une machine), exécution (d’une tâche)

performance= feat, achievement

83- phrase= expression, locution

phrase= sentence

84- physician = médecin

physicien= physicist

85- planning= planification, organisation

planning= schedule, timetable

86- prejudice= préjugé

préjudice= loss, harm, damage (US)

87- to pretend= simuler, faire semblant de

prétendre= to claim

Q

88- qualification= qualification, compétence, réserve, restriction

qualification= skills, qualification

89- to question= interroger (police), contester, mettre en route

questionner= to question about, to interrogate

R

90- rampant= chronique, sévissant

rampant= crawling, grovelling

91- to reconcile= concilier

se réconcilier avec= to become reconciled with

92- refuse= déchets, ordures

refus= refusal

93- to regard= considérer

regarder= to look at, to watch

94- rent= loyer

rente= annuity, pension

95- to resent= être indigné de / contrarié par

ressentir= to feel

96- response= réaction

réponse= answer

97- to resume= reprendre

résumer= to sum up

98- reunion= retrouvailles

réunion= meeting

S

99- scheme= plan, projet, procédé, combine

schéma= diagram, outline

100- secular= séculier, profane, laïque

séculaire= age-old, centuries old

101- sensible= raisonnable, sensé

sensible= sensitive, perceptible

102- slip= dérapage, faux pas, bévue
slip (homme)= briefs, underpants, (femme) : panties

103- smoking= tabac, tabagisme, fumer
smoking= dinner jacket, DJ (GB), tuxedo (US)

104- snack= casse-croûte

snack= snack-bar

105- solvable= soluble (pour lequel une solution existe)

solvable= creditworthy, solvent

106- speaker= orateur, conférencier

speaker (présentateur)= announcer, newscaster,newsreader

107-starter= démarreur (auto), hors d’oeuvre

starter (auto)= choke

108- surname= nom de famille

surnom= nickname

109- sympathetic= compréhensif, compatissant

sympathique= pleasant, friendly, congenial

T

110- to trespass= entrer sans autorisation (no trespassing= entrée interdite)

trépasser= to pass away, to depart this life

111- trivial= dérisoire, insignifiant

trivial= coarse, crude

112- versatile= doué en tous genres, polyvalent

versatile= fickle, capricious

113- vest (GB)= maillot de corps (US), gilet

veste= jacket

This is the end…

Talk to you soon about the marvellous film « The Perfume »…

With best wishes,

Ceraulen