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leeds_manc
I haven't seen my friends in so long
Joined: Thu Apr 23, 2009 8:19 pm
Posts: 5071
Location: Manchester
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wtf is a bistro anyway?
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| Tue Apr 24, 2012 1:41 pm |
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belchingmatt
I haven't seen my friends in so long
Joined: Fri May 15, 2009 3:16 am
Posts: 6146
Location: Middle Earth
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Gravy.
_________________
Dive like a fish, drink like a fish!
><(((º>`•.¸¸.•´¯`•.¸><(((º>
•.¸¸.•´¯`•.¸><(((º>`•.¸¸.•´¯`•.¸><(((º>
If one is diving so close to the limits that +/- 1% will make a difference then the error has already been made.
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| Tue Apr 24, 2012 1:47 pm |
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oceanicitl
Official forum cat lady
Joined: Fri Apr 24, 2009 8:04 am
Posts: 11039
Location: London
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crap gravy
_________________Still the official cheeky one 
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| Tue Apr 24, 2012 2:02 pm |
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HeatherKay
Moderator
Joined: Thu Apr 23, 2009 6:13 pm
Posts: 7262
Location: Here, but not all there.
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Slither/Sliver. There's a difference, but no-one seems to know what it is any more.  _________________My Flickr | Snaptophobic BloggageHeather Kay: modelling details that matter. "Let my windows be open to receive new ideas but let me also be strong enough not to be blown away by them." - Mahatma Gandhi.
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| Wed Apr 25, 2012 7:19 am |
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jonlumb
Spends far too much time on here
Joined: Thu Apr 23, 2009 6:44 pm
Posts: 4141
Location: Exeter
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Slither is something that snakes do. A sliver is one of these:  </geek>
_________________
"The woman is a riddle inside a mystery wrapped in an enigma I've had sex with."
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| Wed Apr 25, 2012 8:06 am |
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HeatherKay
Moderator
Joined: Thu Apr 23, 2009 6:13 pm
Posts: 7262
Location: Here, but not all there.
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Hmm. I award you 50% for that answer. _________________My Flickr | Snaptophobic BloggageHeather Kay: modelling details that matter. "Let my windows be open to receive new ideas but let me also be strong enough not to be blown away by them." - Mahatma Gandhi.
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| Wed Apr 25, 2012 8:08 am |
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TheFrenchun
Officially Mrs saspro
Joined: Wed Jan 06, 2010 7:55 pm
Posts: 4955
Location: on the naughty step
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It is a borrowed word to sound pompous and sell more. It is a very unnaturally borrowed word. It's a bit like it's easier to sell Lingerie than knickers 
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| Wed Apr 25, 2012 9:21 am |
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paulzolo
What's a life?
Joined: Thu Apr 23, 2009 6:27 pm
Posts: 12251
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Take the word “panini”. One panini, two paninis, right? Wrong. Panini is the plural, panino is the singular. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panini_(sandwich) So you can imagine that this picture will raise the blood pressure of at least two (three if you are sensitive to kerning) groups of our society:  Panini’s by hairydalek, on Flickr 
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| Wed Apr 25, 2012 10:01 am |
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jonbwfc
What's a life?
Joined: Thu Apr 23, 2009 7:26 pm
Posts: 17040
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Well, at least they didn't use Comic Sans.
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| Wed Apr 25, 2012 10:10 am |
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JJW009
I haven't seen my friends in so long
Joined: Thu Apr 23, 2009 6:58 pm
Posts: 8767
Location: behind the sofa
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I don't think it's unnatural at all, in the English usage particularly. We've been using the word for over 100 years, and just because it once specifically referred to eateries that also brewed their own beer and provided accommodation doesn't mean that the over-all feel of the place is that far removed. Some of you may have heard the etymology of "Circus" on Countdown recently. I thought that was a wonderful example of a word losing it's original meaning entirely, while still maintaining the feel of it. _________________jonbwfc's law: "In any forum thread someone will, no matter what the subject, mention Firefly." When you're feeling too silly for x404, youRwired.net
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| Wed Apr 25, 2012 6:53 pm |
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ProfessorF
What's a life?
Joined: Thu Apr 23, 2009 7:56 pm
Posts: 12030
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I wouldn't trust a lot of the bona fide English populace with the English language, why should a single French person suddenly be an authority?
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| Wed Apr 25, 2012 6:56 pm |
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TheFrenchun
Officially Mrs saspro
Joined: Wed Jan 06, 2010 7:55 pm
Posts: 4955
Location: on the naughty step
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I don't want anyone to take my word for anything. But when there's an existing english word, why use the french, except to sound posh and charge customers extra?
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| Wed Apr 25, 2012 8:45 pm |
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JJW009
I haven't seen my friends in so long
Joined: Thu Apr 23, 2009 6:58 pm
Posts: 8767
Location: behind the sofa
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Which English word? Café? Bistro? Restaurant? Pizzeria? All foreign words we've been using or abusing for about as long as brasserie. Remember, the English never really "did" food. We mostly relied on other countries for that, and then bastardised the relevant language. We eat "bœuf" and "porc" rather than "cow flesh" and "swine flesh" because English people don't even know what cremated creature it is they're chewing on. Compare the German "Schweinefleisch" for a more honest example of language... _________________jonbwfc's law: "In any forum thread someone will, no matter what the subject, mention Firefly." When you're feeling too silly for x404, youRwired.net
Last edited by JJW009 on Wed Apr 25, 2012 9:01 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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| Wed Apr 25, 2012 9:00 pm |
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jonbwfc
What's a life?
Joined: Thu Apr 23, 2009 7:26 pm
Posts: 17040
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I think you've rather answered your own question...
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| Wed Apr 25, 2012 9:00 pm |
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TheFrenchun
Officially Mrs saspro
Joined: Wed Jan 06, 2010 7:55 pm
Posts: 4955
Location: on the naughty step
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How about Pub, inn? It might be unfashionable to use British words but they exists. Well Porc is french for Pork. Not French for pig, which is cochon. Boeuf is french for beef. the animal is Vache/ Taureau.so it's the same thing.
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| Wed Apr 25, 2012 9:11 pm |
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