12.6: Francophonie - Points culturels
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In this section, you will learn about French words of Arabic origin and use the subjunctive into literary excerpts.
Listen to the audio clips that follow on this page to hear the French pronunciation of vocabulary and examples presented.
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La langue vivante
Les mots d’origine arabe en français
Some think that the gaulois language had the largest influence on the French language. However, according to some, like the author Jean Pruvost or the France Info TV reporter Julien Pain, the Arabic language is one of 3 three languages (other than Italian and English) that have most influenced the French language. During the Middle Ages, many scientific terms were borrowed from the Arabic language, some coming from other languages, such as the Persian language. Some of these words are actually des mots apparentés since they have also infiltrated into the English language. Here are some examples:
algèbre
algorithme
alcool
alchimie
In addition to scientific terms, other Arabic terms have entered the French language since the Middle Ages for numerous reasons, including colonization and decolonization of North African countries. In fact, according to Jean Pruvost, in the French dictionaries Larousse or Robert, one can find at least 500 words of Arabic origin.
Here are a few other mots apparentés of Arabic origin.
girafe
abricot
artichaut
guitare
But there are also a plethora of other words in French of Arabic origin.
jupe cafard douane échecs
skirt cockroach customs Chess
azur fou/folle orange sofa
(blue) sky crazy
Other words of Arabic origin have become part of French through the argot and rap music. The vernacular Arabic language spoken in the Maghreb region (especially in Algeria, Morocco, and Tunisia) has greatly influenced French slang. These terms have especially become popular with French-speaking rappers. Here are a few common terms of high Frequency in spoken French nowadays.
| Mot d’origine arabe | Traduction en français | Traduction en anglais |
|---|---|---|
| maboul | fou, sot | crazy, mad |
| zouave | excentrique | clown, fool |
| chouïa, chouiya | un peu | a little |
| kif-kif | pareil | identical, the same |
| zouze, gow | meuf, petite amie, copine | girl, woman, girlfriend |
| lascar | gaillard, personne malicieuse | shady character, rascal |
| avoir le seum, sème, seume | être énervé, dégoûté, en colère | to be annoyed, angry, disgusted |
| le caïd | le chef, le maître | boss, big shot |
| une houri | une femme très séduisante | houri |
| kiffer | apprécier | like, appreciate |
| faire la nouba | faire la fête | to party |
Flashcards
Study the Quizlet vocabulary flashcards. Listen and repeat the French pronunciation.
Watch these videos to learn more about the influence of Arabic on French:
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Use the following resources to type accents and/or search for words:
- Accents: ç, à, é, è, â, ê, î, ô, û, ù, ë, ï, ü
- Dictionnaire français-anglais