Saturday, February 21, 2004, 22:32 GMT
« "Chez soi" approximately means "at the house of....." »
Again, I am sorry, but that is not true. The spirit of the phrase 'chez soi' is really similar to the one of "home".
'Chez moi', 'Chez toi', 'chez lui', 'chez eux', can be translated by 'at my house', 'at your house', 'at his house', 'at their house'.
But 'mon chez moi', 'ton chez toi', 'son chez lui', 'leur chez eux' would be translated by 'my home', 'your home', 'his home', 'their home'.
« "Esprit" doesn't mean "mind". It means "spirit" »
You are wrong again.
'Esprit' as a synonym of 'pensée' or 'intellect' means 'mind'.
'Esprit' as a synonym of 'humour' or 'ironie' means 'wit'.
'Esprit' as a synonym of 'mentalité' means 'spirit'.
« In English, a spirit just means a ghost. In French it means a ghost or the mind »
No. You are perfectly aware that 'spirit' is also used in phrases the likes of 'that is the spirit', 'the spirit of something' and that it does not mean 'ghost' in these circumstances.
You may not be aware, however, that French also use 'revenant', 'fantômes', 'spectres' as synonyms of 'esprit' when the latter means 'ghost'.
I don't understand where you are going at, Adam. You seem to be extremely attached to prove that 'esprit' and 'chez soi' are poorer than 'spirit' and 'home'.
I can not help thinking that your purpose is to claim that English is superior only because they are more terms than there are in French.
You will understand than I cannot concur and that many people may disagree as well. The fact is that English have more synonyms than French or many other languages. But this does not mean that English is a better medium to express an idea or tell a story.
Most of the English writters are unable to use the whole vocabulary available and they needn't. Expression is not a competition, it is a skill. This skill can be powerfull in any language. Would the plays of Molière be more funny is they were not written in French? Would the thought of Socrate have been more clever and wise if they had been elaborated in English? Would the native speakers of other languages than Shekspeare's be more moved, roused, disturbed or worried by an incredible book, film or the simple story of their neighbour if the English language had been the vehicle of the message they convey?
Thus, if you have the utmost conviction that you are a native speaker of the most expressive language and that, what is more, you speak its most powerfull form (you don't seem to think highly of American English), that is good for you. However, I am not sure you will find many partisans here.
Again, I am sorry, but that is not true. The spirit of the phrase 'chez soi' is really similar to the one of "home".
'Chez moi', 'Chez toi', 'chez lui', 'chez eux', can be translated by 'at my house', 'at your house', 'at his house', 'at their house'.
But 'mon chez moi', 'ton chez toi', 'son chez lui', 'leur chez eux' would be translated by 'my home', 'your home', 'his home', 'their home'.
« "Esprit" doesn't mean "mind". It means "spirit" »
You are wrong again.
'Esprit' as a synonym of 'pensée' or 'intellect' means 'mind'.
'Esprit' as a synonym of 'humour' or 'ironie' means 'wit'.
'Esprit' as a synonym of 'mentalité' means 'spirit'.
« In English, a spirit just means a ghost. In French it means a ghost or the mind »
No. You are perfectly aware that 'spirit' is also used in phrases the likes of 'that is the spirit', 'the spirit of something' and that it does not mean 'ghost' in these circumstances.
You may not be aware, however, that French also use 'revenant', 'fantômes', 'spectres' as synonyms of 'esprit' when the latter means 'ghost'.
I don't understand where you are going at, Adam. You seem to be extremely attached to prove that 'esprit' and 'chez soi' are poorer than 'spirit' and 'home'.
I can not help thinking that your purpose is to claim that English is superior only because they are more terms than there are in French.
You will understand than I cannot concur and that many people may disagree as well. The fact is that English have more synonyms than French or many other languages. But this does not mean that English is a better medium to express an idea or tell a story.
Most of the English writters are unable to use the whole vocabulary available and they needn't. Expression is not a competition, it is a skill. This skill can be powerfull in any language. Would the plays of Molière be more funny is they were not written in French? Would the thought of Socrate have been more clever and wise if they had been elaborated in English? Would the native speakers of other languages than Shekspeare's be more moved, roused, disturbed or worried by an incredible book, film or the simple story of their neighbour if the English language had been the vehicle of the message they convey?
Thus, if you have the utmost conviction that you are a native speaker of the most expressive language and that, what is more, you speak its most powerfull form (you don't seem to think highly of American English), that is good for you. However, I am not sure you will find many partisans here.