Difference between revisions of "False friend"

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Some examples are:
 
Some examples are:
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*the Italian [[adjective]] ''geniale'' does <u>not</u> mean the same as the English '''genial'''. It is much closer to the English '''[[Ingenious - ingenuous|ingenious]]'''.
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*In French, where the words for 'time' and 'weather' are [[homonym]]s (''temps''), the question ''quel temps fait-il?'' (what's the weather like?' is said to be often misunderstood by schoolchildren as 'What time is it?'
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In '''Italian'''
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*In Spanish, the (feminine) [[adjective]] ''embarazada'' means 'pregnant', and may be used [[substantive]]ly as 'pregnant woman'. It does <u>not</u> mean 'embarrassed'.
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*In German, the [[verb]] ''wille'', although connected [[etymologically]] to the English [[Auxiliary verb]] 'will', is purely a translation of the [[semantic]] [[verb]] 'to '''want'''<nowiki>'</nowiki>
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*the [[adjective]] ''geniale'' does not mean the same as the English ‘genial’: it means ‘clever, ingenious, talented’. The English 'genial' could be translated into Italian as ''cordiale'', ''socievole'', ''amabile'', or  ''benigno''.
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{{wip}}
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*the [[noun]] ''delusione'' does not mean the same as the English ‘delusion’: it means ‘disappointment’. The English 'delusion' could be translated into Italian as ''illusione'' or ''inganno''.
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*the [[noun]] ''pavimento'' does not mean the same as the English ‘pavement’: it means ‘floor’. The Italian for 'pavement' is ''marciapiede''.
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In '''French'''
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*the [[adjective]] ''blessé'' does not mean ‘blessed’: it means ‘wounded’. The English ‘blessed’ might be translated into French as ''béni'', ''saint'', or ''bien-heureux''.
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*the [[noun]] ''journée'' does not mean ‘journey’: it means ‘day’. The French for ‘journey’ is ''voyage''.
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*the [[verb]] ''attendre'' does not mean ‘to attend’: it means ‘to wait for’. The French for ‘to attend’ is ''assister à''.
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In German
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*the [[verb]] ''bekommen'' does not mean ‘to become’: it means ‘to get, receive, obtain’. The German for ‘to become’ is ''werden''.
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*the word ''hell'' does not mean the same as the English ‘hell’ (i.e., a place of eternal damnation): it means ‘clear, bright, shining’. The German word for the English ‘hell’ is ''Hölle''.
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*the [[verb]]al phrase ''sich blamieren'' does not mean ‘to blame oneself’ but ‘to disgrace oneself’ or ‘to make a fool of oneself’. ‘To blame oneself’ might be translated into German as ''sich tadeln''.
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In '''Spanish''' 
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*the (feminine) [[adjective]] ''embarazada'' means 'pregnant', and may also be used as a [[noun]] to mean 'pregnant woman'. It does not mean 'embarrassed', for which the Spanish could be ''azorado'' or ''turbado''.
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*the [[verb]] ''pretender'' does not mean ‘to pretend’: it means ‘to try’ or ‘to endeavour’ (to do something). The Spanish for 'to pretend’ is ''fingir''.
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*the [[noun]] ''ropa'' does not mean ‘rope’: it means ‘clothes’. The Spanish for ‘rope’ is ''cuerda''.
  
 
[[Category:false friends]]
 
[[Category:false friends]]
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[[Category:language]]
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[[Category:linguistic terms]]
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[[Category:technical terms]]
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[[Category:French words]]
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[[Category:German words]]
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[[Category:Italian words]]
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[[Category:foreign words]]

Latest revision as of 10:42, 28 April 2018

False friend is a term used by learners (and their teachers) of foreign languages, mostly applied to cognate (related) languages. It is used to label terms in the language being learnt which look like a term in the learner's mother tongue (sometimes a third language), but do not mean the same.

Some examples are:

In Italian

  • the adjective geniale does not mean the same as the English ‘genial’: it means ‘clever, ingenious, talented’. The English 'genial' could be translated into Italian as cordiale, socievole, amabile, or benigno.
  • the noun delusione does not mean the same as the English ‘delusion’: it means ‘disappointment’. The English 'delusion' could be translated into Italian as illusione or inganno.
  • the noun pavimento does not mean the same as the English ‘pavement’: it means ‘floor’. The Italian for 'pavement' is marciapiede.

In French

  • the adjective blessé does not mean ‘blessed’: it means ‘wounded’. The English ‘blessed’ might be translated into French as béni, saint, or bien-heureux.
  • the noun journée does not mean ‘journey’: it means ‘day’. The French for ‘journey’ is voyage.
  • the verb attendre does not mean ‘to attend’: it means ‘to wait for’. The French for ‘to attend’ is assister à.

In German

  • the verb bekommen does not mean ‘to become’: it means ‘to get, receive, obtain’. The German for ‘to become’ is werden.
  • the word hell does not mean the same as the English ‘hell’ (i.e., a place of eternal damnation): it means ‘clear, bright, shining’. The German word for the English ‘hell’ is Hölle.
  • the verbal phrase sich blamieren does not mean ‘to blame oneself’ but ‘to disgrace oneself’ or ‘to make a fool of oneself’. ‘To blame oneself’ might be translated into German as sich tadeln.

In Spanish

  • the (feminine) adjective embarazada means 'pregnant', and may also be used as a noun to mean 'pregnant woman'. It does not mean 'embarrassed', for which the Spanish could be azorado or turbado.
  • the verb pretender does not mean ‘to pretend’: it means ‘to try’ or ‘to endeavour’ (to do something). The Spanish for 'to pretend’ is fingir.
  • the noun ropa does not mean ‘rope’: it means ‘clothes’. The Spanish for ‘rope’ is cuerda.
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