At the Académie Française, that august body that is the protector of pure French, there must be a gnashing of teeth. In daily life, the language is constantly being “mondialized” (to anglicize the French term). There is no escaping the creep of globalization.
Consider these borrowings and adaptations from English:
- Total relooking – a complete make-over
- Espresso et un brownie
- Sandwich au choix – your choice of sandwich
- Le hot dog
- Le muffin myrtille – a blueberry muffin
- Donut
- Une pasta box à emporter – a small box to be hydrated with hot water for a pasta meal
- Café Snack – name of a coffee and snack counter
- Auto Grill – name of a highway restaurant
- Stand Chaud – a hot buffet
- Chicken nuggets et frites – chicken nuggets and French fries, not at McDonald’s
- Simply Market – grocery store name
- Break Pain – name of coffee and bread/pastry shop (like a coffee break?)
- Un camping car - a motor home
- Quickos – something you order at McDonald’s (not to be confused with quickies)
- Speedy – name of an automobile oil change, etc. shop
- Le brushing – at a hair salon, ask for this to blow-dry hair
- Le footing – jogging
- Athle-Running – name of athletic shoe store
- C’est nickel – it is bright and shiny, in perfect condition
- C’est super - it’s super
- Le scotch - trying to figure out how to say scotch tape? Easy.
- Vente de mobile homes – sale of mobile homes, although you might not understand these words when spoken
