CONFUSING

   FAUX AMIS

Chance

   Hasard

Hazard

   Danger, risque

Luck

   Chance
I have a chance to work there   J’ai la possibilité de travailler là
I’m fortunate enough to work there   J’ai la chance d’y travailler

U

   Or Non-U

Guard / guide / guarantee

In ‘Gu’ words the U tends not to be pronounced (it’s supposed to ‘harden’ the G)

   “ga:d, gaïd, garanti:”

Dans les mots en ‘Gu’ le U n’est normalement pas prononcé (il est censé ‘durcir’ le G)

quite / request / query

Whereas,  in ‘Qu’ words the U is pronounced (like a W)

   « kwaït, rikwest, kwiri : »

Tandis que, dans les mots en ‘Qu’Le U est prononcé (comme un W) 

And ‘building’

   est prononcé « bilding » (Non-U)

HE SPEAKS ENGLISH WELL

=

 HE SPEAKS GOOD ENGLISH

First, the positions:

1 Verb + object (speaks English)

2 adverb of manner (well – or badly, beautifully, etc.)

   D’abord, la place des elements:

L’adverbe de manière (well – ou badly, beautifully, …) après le couple verbe (speaks) + complément d’objet (English)

Secondly, we say ‘good English’ (never ‘a good English’ as language names are uncountable nouns – like ‘weather’ in ‘good weather’ (which would be nice at the moment!)

   Deuxièmement, on dit ‘good English’ (jamais A good English) car une langue est indénombrable, comme ‘le temps’ – on dit donc ‘good weather’ (ce qui serait sympa en ce moment!)

Blog / news story of the week: http://neverseconds.blogspot.fr/

and read about Martha Payne, school “dinners” and the “Streisand Effect” at

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-18458567

PS the name ‘neverseconds’ refers to the school slang ‘seconds’ for “second helpings” (deuxièmes portions)

3 Points of English Friday, 16 June 2012
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laulosmithaf Points of English
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