List of French words of English origin

This is a list of French words, terms and phrases of English language origin, some of a specialist nature, in common usage in the French language or at least within their specialist area.

Modern English is rarely considered a source language as it is itself a mixture of other languages. Culturally, the creation of new words is widely accepted and there is no official body that is treated as the guardian of the language. Each dictionary producer makes their own editorial decisions and there is a slight impetus towards adding new words as this often results in media coverage and public discussion.

Conversely, the Académie française as an institution absolutely guards the French language. This hurdle in the creation of new words allows time and space for English neologisms to enter common usage in the French language. In many cases, l'Académie publishes French alternatives or creates French neologisms, however these words often fail to achieve the public traction which, by definition has to have been achieved by the English word for it to be noticed by l'Académie in the first place.

In nearly all cases the words in this list are not sanctioned by the Académie française.

Words in accepted use

The following words are commonly used and included in French dictionaries.

  • le pull: E. pullover, sweater, jersey.
  • le shampooing,[1] the shampoo
  • le scoop, in the context of a news story or as a simile based on that context. While the word is in common use, the Académie française recommends a French synonym, "exclusivité".[2]
  • le selfie. The word was included in French dictionary "Le Petit Robert" in 2015, along with "hashtag".[3]
  • le sandwich
  • le bulldozer
  • l'email / le mail
  • cool: great, cool, [expression of approval].
  • le dressing. A dressing room or walk-in closet[4]
  • fun: amusing, entertaining, bonvivant.
  • le hashtag[3]
  • l'after-shave
  • le blog
  • le chewing-gum: chewing gum; American.
  • le lifting: facelift, plastic surgery.
  • le parking. A car park
  • le weekend: weekend
  • people: c'est très people... ("it's very popular/about personalities").
  • versatile. A word with slightly different meaning in French and English. The English usage, meaning 'with a variety of uses' has crept into common French usage.[5]

Pseudo-anglicisms[6]
  • le zapping. Channel surfing on a television
  • le rugbyman, le tennisman. Rugby and tennis player
  • les baskets. Sports shoes
  • babyfoot. Table football
  • le flipper. A pinball machine[7]
  • le smoking. A dinner suit / tuxedo"smoking : definition de smoking". cnrtl.fr. Centre National de Ressources Textuelles et Lexicales. Retrieved 20 December 2019.</ref>
  • le footing. Running or jogging[8]

Gallicized English words
  • la redingote. A type of coat. From the English, "Riding Coat". Amusingly, this French version crossed back into English in the 18th century, though it is not in common usage today.

Colloquialisms and neologisms

Technology
  • Tweeter. To tweet.
  • Forwarder. To forward an email
  • Liker. To like an update or posting, typically on Facebook
  • Skyper
  • Le buzz[9]
  • La box. Modem provided by most Internet Providers.
  • Le hot spot. In terms of wifi availability.

Business
  • Au black. In reference to the black market or black economy
  • L’open space
  • Booster. To boost, as in "booster ma carriere"
  • Voyager low-cost. Low-cost travel
  • Le drive. In reference to drive-through food takeaway services
  • High tech
  • Le challenge.[10] An example of an English word of French origin being backported into French, with the English spelling and pronunciation

Sports
  • Le corner - a corner kick.
  • Le coach. In a sporting context
  • Le penalty - a penalty kick
  • Le goal - a goal keeper

Arts and entertainment
  • La punch line
  • Le biopic
  • Infotainment
  • Le come back. In the sense of a celebrity, sportsperson or entertainer making a comeback.

Others
  • Un Black. A way to designate a black person.
  • Le box. Typically a room sized storage unit
  • Le relooking. In reference to a makeover
  • Bruncher. To brunch
  • Le lifting. In reference to plastic surgery
  • La success story. An example of an English phrase made up of words of French origin being reinfused into the French language in the English context.
  • Le dealer. Specifically of illegal drugs.
  • Le cheese. In the context of "Le Royale Cheese" in McDonald's. If one orders "un cheese" one receives a cheeseburger.
  • Le Brexit[11]
  • No stress
  • Switcher. To change or swap.

See also

References
  1. "SHAMPOOING : Définition de SHAMPOOING". cnrtl.fr.
  2. "'Scoop". Académie Française. 7 September 2015.
  3. "'Le selfie' enters dictionary as France learns to embrace the unbearable". The Guardian. 25 May 2015.
  4. "Top 12 English words reinvented by the French The Local". thelocal.fr. Retrieved 23 June 2016.
  5. "Néologismes & anglicismes - Académie française". academie-francaise.fr. Retrieved 23 June 2016.
  6. Ayres-Bennett, Wendy; Carruthers, Janice; Temple, Rosalind (25 February 2014). "12.4 'Hybrids' and pseudo-anglicisms". Problems and Perspectives: Studies in the Modern French Language. Longman linguistics library. London: Routledge. p. 335. ISBN 978-1-317-88652-5. OCLC 871224464.
  7. "Footing : definition de footing". cnrtl.fr. Centre National de Ressources Textuelles et Lexicales. Retrieved 20 December 2019.
  8. "Footing : definition de footing". cnrtl.fr. Centre National de Ressources Textuelles et Lexicales. Retrieved 20 December 2019.
  9. "'English words are invading French like never before'". thelocal.fr. 16 March 2016. Retrieved 23 June 2016.
  10. "CHALLENGE : Définition de CHALLENGE". larousse.fr.
  11. Pflimlin, Edouard (1 July 2016). "Le Brexit et l'avenir de la City londonienne" – via Le Monde.
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