#32 - Creepy

Happy Halloween!  With old traditions from Ireland, Scotland, and Wales, such as people disguising themselves as ghosts and gouls, pulling pranks, and going to door to door, it's only appropriate that the English language should provide a unique word for the occasion: "creepy."

#31 - Profiter

In stark contrast to words like pénible and ennui stands the word profiter!  WordReference gives some very clear and accurate definitions of it:

1. to make the most of
2. to take advantage of
3. to enjoy

The phrase profiter à quelqu'un also means to "do somebody good."

This word becomes untranslatable when it combines these ideas of enjoyment and self-benefit a single context.  It's like the French carpe diem.  "Profites-en!" is a frequently heard exhortation for people going on vacation, going off to college, or in any situation where there are enjoyable opportunities to be had.  You could say, "Make the most of it!" in English, but that lacks the happy, optimistic quality of profiter.  On the other hand, "Have fun!" may be light and positive, but it's missing the implication that you could substantially benefit or improve your life from this experience.

Granted, profiter can also mean "taking advantage" in a selfish or abusive way, as in the sentence: "Tout le monde profite de lui."  ("Everyone takes advantage of him.")  However, the same word can be used in an entirely positive sense: "Pendant les vacances, elle a bien profité de sa fille."  ("During vacation, she really enjoyed/made the most of being with her daughter.")  Context is everything.

However, a Google image search for profiter mostly turns up images like this:

And inspirational quotes like this:

"Audacity brings success to those who take advantage of opportunities."
~Marcel Proust

So I think we may conclude that profiter is usually a very positive thing. 

I always felt that profiter as it relates to vacations is a particularly French concept.  With their government-mandated four weeks of vacation a year, the French view it not as a mere pleasure but as a necessity and a right; it's an experience that does real good for body and soul.  In French culture, taking the time to relax, eat good food, drink wine, bask in the beautiful countryside, pursue your hobbies, and generally enjoy what life has to offer are high and respectable priorities.  The real "profit" earned by working the is the ability to enjoy yourself afterwards.

I may be falling into a stereotype here--after all, I know there are French people who are more business- or "profit"-oriented in the American sense--but to me, this general difference between French and American culture is pronounced and prevalent.  Profiter, perhaps better than any other word, sums up the French desire to live life fully.  It's an exquisite combination of enjoyment, improvement, and self-fulfillment. 

#30 - Pénible

This word goes with ennui as a uniquely French expression of existential oppression and weariness that applies all up and down the ladder of trials and tribulations, from the very small to the very serious.  Pénible means everything from annoying, to frustrating, difficult, tiresome, rough, burdensome, or painful.  It can be anything, significant or insignificant, that weighs you down, wears you down, makes your life a chore, or makes your life utterly unbearable.

#29 - Cake vs. Pastry

Last week's article was about French viennoiseries and pâtisseries, and how both would usually be called "pastries" in English--but not all of them.  Specifically, a lot of pâtisseries would more accurately be called "cakes."  So what's the difference?

#28 - Pâtisserie vs. Viennoiserie

Pâtisserie or viennoiserie?  The primary English translation for both is "pastry."  WordReference.com also suggests "cake" for pâtisserie and "viennoiserie" for viennoiserie--but that's not very helpful, is it?

As usual, I think it's best to let pictures do the talking.  Let's try a little quiz, shall we?

Viennoiserie or pâtisserie?

1.

That lovely trio--croissant (bottom), pain au chocolat (right), and pain aux raisins (left).

2.

Millefeuille 
(literally, "thousand leaves")

3.

Chouquettes!!!

4.

The éclair
(literally, "lightning" or "flash"!)

5.

Chausson aux pommes
 (literally, "apple slippers")

6.

Tarte au citron

And the answers are...

#27 - Bouquiner

Bouquiner...LaRousse Dictionary Online defines it simply as "lire un livre"--or "to read a book"--but this is one time where LaRousse falls short.

L'Internaute gives a much better definition:

• Bouquiner représente l'action de lire un livre.  Ce terme un peu familier sous-entend qu'une personne en train de bouquiner s'adonne à cette activité de manière ininterrompue et avec un certain plaisir.
• ("Bouquiner represents the action of reading a book.  This somewhat casual term implies that a person is reading for an uninterrupted time and with a certain enjoyment.")

In short, it means to read for your own enjoyment.  Needless to say, I love this word.  English has no equivalent, although WordReference.com suggests the phrase "to have your head in a book."  Though it's not far off, really this expression implies that you are so engrossed in your reading that you're kind of oblivious to the world around you, which is not necessarily the case with bouquiner.  Bouquiner is light, casual, and fun.  See how it's used in this travel ad for Belle-Isle-en-Terre:

• "Sur place, vous aurez également loisir à flâner, bouquiner, pique-niquer…le tout au bord de l’eau."  
• ("There, you can go for a stroll, read, or have a picnic at your leisure...all right by the water.")

Or you could just do a Google image search for bouquiner.

Nuff said.  ^_^

#26 - Thief!

How many kinds of thieves can you find in the English language?  Let's see...