I know that between Chinese & Japanese, there’s vocabulary where the placement of each character differs but retains the same or related definition for the most part, like how 士兵 becomes 兵士 in Japanese, you get the drift. Technically something equivalent exists in Latin based languages such as Red Cross (EN) & Cruz Roja (ES).
| 日本語 | 中文 | ENG |
|---|---|---|
| 詐欺 | 欺詐 | Fraud |
| 苦痛 | 痛苦 | Pain |
| 脅威 | 威脅 | Threat |
| 講演 | 演講 | Lecture |
| 制限 | 限制 | Restriction |
The truth* is that the French are excellent at English, but they find it beneath them to speak it.
Therefore, I suspect that “talkie-walkie” is a deliberate attempt to annoy the English. A trap you have fallen straight into (even if you’re not English).
* for some interpretation of that word
N’importe quoi… the French (outside of Paris and the major touristy bits) are not excellent at English.
Source: I live in France, and my mother tongue is English. I had no choice but to learn French very quickly in order to communicate. The idea that they are merely too proud to speak English is an old wives tale, their education system is just very outdated and la francophonie is large enough that they never need English in order to go about their daily lives, which is not the case for many smaller European countries.
However, I will admit that attempts to poke fun at the English (specifically the UK, or as they like to call them, “les rosbifs,”) are heartily appreciated.
All things considered, “rosbif” is almost endearing as an insult. I’m kind of surprised that it’s still the default.
Agreed. It’s meant to be an insult making fun of the basic nature of British cuisine, but I for one sometimes find the French classics overly rich and complicated. Who doesn’t enjoy a hearty roast, especially on a cold winter evening.