by Katie Penryn
faux-filet – lit. a false fillet steak, a sirloin steak
un gâteau – a cake
kir royale – a French cocktail, a variation on Kir. It consists of crème de cassis topped with champagne
le livret de famille – family record kept by the mayor’s office
une madeleine– a buttery little sponge cake usually shaped like a scallop shell
le maire – the mayor, the administrator of a commune. He is voted for by the rate-paying residents, including non-citizens.
la mairie – the mayor’s office; in a large town or city, this would be the Town Hall.
mais oui – but yes, of course
Maître – lit. master, used to France as an honorary title for a lawyer/advocate
malheuresement – unfortunately
Le Marché de Sables – Market of the Sands
la maternelle – nursery school
le méchoui – a spit roasted pig or sheep (from the Arabic)
le métier – profession, occupation
merci mille fois – thank-you a thousand times
le merguez – long thin highly spiced sausage
naturellement! – naturally!
des objets-d’art – used in English; small pieces of art such as sculptures, enameled jewellery boxes
Le Palais des Blues – the Blues Palace
une pâtisserie – a cake shop and/or a pastry
ma/mon pauvre petit(e) – my poor little one
pineau – is an aperitif from the Charente/Dordogne departments. It is a fortified wine of the same strength as sherry and comes in a red or a white version. Often served over ice.
Punaise! – lit. a shield-shaped green bug that stinks when touched. Used as a mild swear word
Salut! – Hi ! Informal
Sympa – an adjective meaning companionable, friendly, an okay person
thé à l’anglais – tea English style with milk
La Toussaint – All Saints’ Day
tout de suite – at once, immediately
trop dégueulasse! – too disgusting!
Vade mecum – the Latin for “come with me”; often used for an indispensable item such as a diary, travel guide
Other references:
Banksy- is an anonymous England-based street artist. His satirical street art and subversive epigrams combine dark humor with graffiti executed in a distinctive stenciling technique.
dolmen – is a prehistoric arrangement of large stone blocks, with one horizontally straddling two uprights to make an arch. Their origin and use are uncertain, but they were probably the entrance to tombs which have since disappeared.
Laphroaig – the golden single malt scotch whisky from the Isle of Islay in the Hebrides, famous for its distinctive peaty flavor
Leopardmen – these men are part of African folklore
Send someone to Coventry –an English expression meaning to stop speaking to someone, i.e. stop social contact with them
Sowhat – is an anonymous Parisian street artist
Venn diagram – A diagram using overlapping circles to show areas of correspondence
