A special treat for you today: Barbara is back with a column on French homonyms. Read it in English or French. Either way, enjoy!
pareil, pareille (pa-ray) adjective
1. the same 2. equal
Expressions:
du pareil au même = exactly the same
n'avoir pas son pareil = to be remarkable
sans pareil = unparalleled, unique
rendre la pareille = to get revenge on someone
Citation du Jour:
Le tennis et le ping-pong, c'est pareil. Sauf qu'au tennis, les joueurs sont debout sur la table. Tennis and ping-pong, it's the same thing. Except that with tennis, the players stand on the table. --Coluche
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Les Homonymes by Barbara Barles
In French there are many words that have the exact same pronunciation but a completely different meaning. For this reason, it is important to know the French spelling so as not to mistranslate!
Orally, the phrase's context should permit one to know which word is being employed. Here are a few examples (following French text):
En Français:
Il existe en français de nombreux mots ayant une prononciation exactement identique mais un sens tout à fait différent. C'est pourquoi il est important de bien connaître l'orthographe française afin de ne pas faire de contre sens!
A l'oral, le contexte de la phrase doit permettre de savoir de quel mot il s'agit. En voici quelques exemples:
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- Fin (n.f.) et faim (n.f.)
(end and hunger)
pronounced "faN" (silent n, nasal)
- Pot (n.m.) et peau (n.f.)
(pot or jar and skin)
pronounced "poh"
- Voix (n.f.) et voie (n.f.)
(voice and road)
pronounced "vwah"
- Sot (adj et n.) (fém:sotte), sceau (n.m.), seau (n.m.), saut (n.m.)
(foolish, seal, bucket, jump)
pronounced "so"
- Encre (n.f.) et ancre (n.f.)
(ink and anchor)
pronounced "ahn-kre"
- Signe (n.m.) et cygne (n.m.)
(sign and swan)
pronounced "see-nyuh" (sort of!--just don't insist on the "yuh")
In tomorrow's edition: "Homonyms: Part II"
pareil, pareille (pa-ray) adjective
1. the same 2. equal
Expressions:
du pareil au même = exactly the same
n'avoir pas son pareil = to be remarkable
sans pareil = unparalleled, unique
rendre la pareille = to get revenge on someone
Citation du Jour:
Le tennis et le ping-pong, c'est pareil. Sauf qu'au tennis, les joueurs sont debout sur la table. Tennis and ping-pong, it's the same thing. Except that with tennis, the players stand on the table. --Coluche
............................
Les Homonymes by Barbara Barles
In French there are many words that have the exact same pronunciation but a completely different meaning. For this reason, it is important to know the French spelling so as not to mistranslate!
Orally, the phrase's context should permit one to know which word is being employed. Here are a few examples (following French text):
En Français:
Il existe en français de nombreux mots ayant une prononciation exactement identique mais un sens tout à fait différent. C'est pourquoi il est important de bien connaître l'orthographe française afin de ne pas faire de contre sens!
A l'oral, le contexte de la phrase doit permettre de savoir de quel mot il s'agit. En voici quelques exemples:
......................................
- Fin (n.f.) et faim (n.f.)
(end and hunger)
pronounced "faN" (silent n, nasal)
- Pot (n.m.) et peau (n.f.)
(pot or jar and skin)
pronounced "poh"
- Voix (n.f.) et voie (n.f.)
(voice and road)
pronounced "vwah"
- Sot (adj et n.) (fém:sotte), sceau (n.m.), seau (n.m.), saut (n.m.)
(foolish, seal, bucket, jump)
pronounced "so"
- Encre (n.f.) et ancre (n.f.)
(ink and anchor)
pronounced "ahn-kre"
- Signe (n.m.) et cygne (n.m.)
(sign and swan)
pronounced "see-nyuh" (sort of!--just don't insist on the "yuh")
In tomorrow's edition: "Homonyms: Part II"
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Barbara Barles is a French legal expert based in Toulon, France.
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Barbara Barles is a French legal expert based in Toulon, France.
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