ANALOGY BETWEEN FRENCH AND ENGLISH WORDS

A great part of the English vocabulary is derived from the French. Many words were so well adapted to English pronunciation, that there was no occasion for altering their spelling. In some cases, however, French sounds were so altered by English intonation, that it was no longer possible to represent them by the same combination of letters, and another spelling became necessary to correspond with their new pronunciation.* Besides, five or six centuries have produced many modifications in both languages; but as they have always been effected in a uniform and regular manner, according to the genius of the language, it is never very difficult to recognize the words affected, and to trace their common origin.

The articulations, in fact, which may be considered as the, frame of the word, are, with one or two exceptions, always the same ; the sounds (vowels) only vary in order to express a different intonation. This difference of spelling mainly occurs at the end of words, sometimes at the beginning, seldom in the middle.

Words which are perfectly alike in French and English, are found amongst those that have the following terminations :

.. Fable, Brigade ......... ape... Brigade.

. Bible. Animal ......... AL... Animal.

. Noble. Public. css 10 ... Public.

. Soluble. Maritime ....... IME... Maritime.

. Bandage. Bilé sr ILE … Bile.

. College. Ridicule ....... ULE... Ridicule.

. Vestige. Doctrine......... INE... Doctrine.

. Doge. Fortune ......... UNE . Fortune.

. Deluge. Gratitude....... UDE . Gratitude.

.. Face. Nature .......... URE . Nature.

. Artifice. Centre .......... TRE . Centre.

Importance .... ANCE.. Importance, | Action .......... TION. Action. Prudence ....... ENoE.. Prudence. | Elégant......... anr . Elegant. Province ....... IncE... Province, | Compliment ... Enr... Compliment. Miracle.......... AOLE . Miracle.

* The great inconsistency between spelling and pronunciation in the English language occurs chiefly in words of Saxon origin.

Words which differ in their terminations are changed in the following manner :

Militaire... AIRE ) military.

Gloire . .OIRE .… glory.

Faveur EUR .. favor.

Erreur EUR +. CTTOT.

Constance .CE .. constancy.

Beauté .TÉ .…. beauty.

Théorie ..RIE .. theory.

Musicien ... LIEN > changed ur Rapide . IDE me à rapid. Mortel .. .EL .. mortal.

Immédiat, e.. AT .. immediate.

Divin, e ...... IN .. divine.

Pensif, ive ............IF .. pensive.

Dangereux, euse ....EUX .. dangerous.

Signifier............... FIER J signify.

French words ending in e mute, lose frequently the e in English :

Artiste xa slr tist, Mérite ...........4 merit.

In French, the letter w, followed by m or n, and an articulation, is changed into 0. The reason is, that as vowels, followed by an m or n, serve to express nasal sounds, wn and un would represent a sound too much unlike the one it is derived from, and to which that indicated by om and on seems nearer to approach.

Fonction ...... . funetion, Circonférence .. . circumference.

Présomption....... -+- presumption.

Ponctuation .........….........punctuation.

In French, the articulation s is seldom followed by another articulation. At the commencement of words it is generally replaced by an é, or preceded by an e. In the middle of a word it is often suppressed, in which case a circumflex accent is placed over the preceding vowel.

Épine Las spine. Esprit............ spirit.

Epouse s+. Spouse. Estampe ....... stamp.

Btable ..... . stable. Apôtre .“......... apostle, Étranger ee Stranger. Ancétres ....... ancestors. Estomac:........ stomach, Paturage ....... pasturage, Espace .........- space. Mat ............ mast.

English verbs ending in ate, have generally their corresponding verb in French of the first conjugation.

Créer ...... ..... to create. Innover ......... to innovate. Anticiper....... fo anticipate. Méditer ......... to meditate. Cultiver ......... to cultivate. Pénétrer......... to penetrate. Délibérer ....... to deliberate. Stipuler ......... to stipulate.

Observe that the English articulation #, in French is indicated by qu, when before e or 1.

Abdiquer....... to abdicate. Indiquer ....... to indicate. Communiquer . to communicate. Suffoquer....... to suffocate.

The above will sufficiently show the tendency of the two languages with regard to pronunciation and orthography, to account for all further alterations; and if well understood, there will be no difficulty in perceiving at once the analogy between the following words, however deviating from their common origin.

Echafaud....... scaffold. Beurer.......... to scour. Escadron ....... squadron. Epargner te to spare. Étoffe…........ stuff. Échapper ...... to escape. Écharpe.….... scarf, tuver.......... to stew. Étroit.…...... straight. Btuve........... stove. Btourdi ......... sturdy. Bête .…........…., beast. Bpagneul....... spaniel. Boule: ser tad buck. École... school. Boucher ......... butcher.

Espion .......... spy. . coward,

shock. flower.

. to count. Maitre ........... master.

to astonish. Autruche ....... ostrich.