FRENCH WORD-A-DAY

Merci beaucoup, Carol. Smokey est un chien trѐs fantastique, n'est ce pas? Et, Braise est un chienne trѐs sympathique. My Westie, Bijou and Shih-Tzu, Boomerang often sleep as Smokey and Braise are in the photo above. I am traveling to Belgium for the first time this July with 6 days in Brugges and 2 in Bruxelles. Maybe I will find some doorways and dogs to photograph and share.

The dog in the photo is a Brittany, as they are known in England or un épagneul breton as they are known in France. I have a 9 year old Brittany who is the same colour as the one in the photo.

I think I have to do the Rosetta Stone French course, I am semi-fluent in Spanish and can't seem to pronounce one word without sounding as though I am from Spain. However, I am loving learning my one word a day!

Carol: loved the apocopes. word play is often the final frontier in language understanding.

Kristin: the dog is not waiting to be let in through the blue door. he is waiting for his girlfriend to join him for a walk to the beach. as usual, she is not ready yet but he is waiting patiently.

Suzanne: if you have a taste for good belgian beers, be sure to visit the Garre (I like to think of it as the flemish spelling of Gary, but it isn't) brew pub in Brugge.

To those interested,
here are a few precisions and examples you may find useful:
(If not interested, quickly jump to the last part starting with "Bravo Carol")
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--> abréger (un texte) / condenser, résumer (un texte) = to summarize (text)
--> abréger (un mot) / raccourcir (un mot) = to shorten (word)
--> un abrégement / action d'abréger & résultat = summarizing (text) / shortening (word)
--> une abréviation / réduction d'un mot = abbreviation

Abréviations & apocopes are forms of “abrégement.”

“ABRÉVIATIONS” = abbreviations
- M. = Monsieur
- p. = page
- adj. = adjectif
- fém. = féminin
- gramm. = grammaire
- ex. = exemple
- Bd = Boulevard
- Mme = Madame
- Mlle = Mademoiselle
- Dr = Docteur
- No = numéro

The French abbreviations on the above list are pronounced like the French words they represent (Ex: “Mlle” is pronounced “Mademoiselle”),
* In French, the latin abbreviation "etc." is pronounced «èt sétéra»

“APOCOPES” = apocopes
They sort of simplify a word, are used in popular language, but are not “argot” (not 'slang').
They shorten a long or complicated word and more or less create a new one.
Pronunciation: you pronounce them just as you write them
- le Métro = métropolitain (subway)
- la météo = météorologie (weather forecast)
- la colo = la colonie de vacances (summer camp / holiday camp)
- le kiné = kinésithérapeute (physiotherapist)
- l'art déco = les arts décoratifs
- l'hosto = l'hôpital
It may be useful to note here that apocopes are not “diminutifs” ('diminutive words')

“DIMINUTIFS” . The diminutive of a French word must have the same root as the word.
French diminutives are usually a bit longer than the word.
They can express a smaller form of an object, an animal ...
- le jardinet → petit jardin
- la maisonnette → petite maison
- le cabanon → petite cabane
- la camionnette → petit camion (= van – panel truck)
- l'oisillon → petit oiseau
- le chaton → petit chat (kitten)
- la peccadille → un petit péché, faute légère (= minor sin)
As far as people are concerned:
- la fillette is a little girl
- le garçonnet, a little boy.

Diminutives can also express a degree of tenderness and affection...
- tatie –> tante (= aunt). Hence, the affectionate word “Tonton” for "oncle"
- soeurette → soeur
- frérot → frère
With first names:
- Jeannot → Jean
- Jacquot → Jacques
- Michou → Michel / Michèle / Micheline
- Margot --> Marguerite
- Madelon → Madeleine
.......etc.

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Bravo Carol for grouping some apocopes around an academic theme! I enjoyed every word of it. I also appreciated your association between the “LANGAGE ENFANTIN” spoken by adults to babies and toddlers, and the “LANGAGE CHIENCHIEN”! I agree with the word "débile", which I would rather attribute to the words themselves.
I must admit that I like “dodo” (sleep) and love “nounours” (teddy bear) … but, that's about it!... I would use the word "toutou" just for fun. Would I ever ask a "chienchien" to give its "papatte" to its "mémère"? You know my answer, don't you?
I can hear you laughing!
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I used much to much space ... sorry Kristin! I'll leave the translation of Carol's text to someone else. Bye.

Kristin, it is interesting to see how the ”DIMINUTIFS” became part of this topic on abbreviations and apocoques. In my previous post, I missed out the verbs "diminitifs" and I'm very glad you mentioned one in your comment: "toussoter". I love it (it attracts the attention, doesn't it?)

I made up a short list of verbs, giving the "diminutif" (weaker meaning of the verb), followed by the verb it comes from.

1) toussoter (= to cough slightly)
-> from "tousser" (= to cough)

2) vivoter (= to struggle along)
-> from vivre (= to live)

3) sautiller (= to hop, to jump lightly, to skip along)
-> from sauter (= to jump)

4) trembloter (= to tremble slightly)
-> from trembler (= to shake, to tremble)

5) pleurnicher (= to snivel, to whine)
-> from pleurer (= to cry, to weep)

6) tapoter (= to tap gently, to pat)
-> from taper (= to hit, to knock- also, to type)
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A few splashes of colour? What about the colours that are ...'ish'? These adj are also "diminutifs".
Ex: something "blanchâtre" → "tire sur" le blanc = it's not quite white, not as bright and pure as white -> it's 'whitish'.
- bleuâtre = bluish
- verdâtre = greenish
- rougeâtre = reddish
- jaunâtre = yellowish
- grisâtre = greyish

Chere Kristin I love the photo of the Brittany Spaniel...excellent photo.

Gary, Thank you for the recommendation of Garre in Brugges! Yes, we do plan to sample Belgian beers along with moules frites, North Sea eel, oysters and it is so nice to have a recommendation from someone who has been there. I understand what is daunting is that there are so many wonderful Belgian beers. Merci!

Tous les jours, m'amusette es les chaton nouvelles chez moi. Les chaton a trois jours seulement et sont adorable.