It's funny how a word spelled one way in one language can have very different meanings. For example, the English words pain and vent have very different meanings in French despite the same spelling. Do you have other interesting examples?
Similar to French, “pan” is bread in Spanish. “Actual” actually (ha) means “current” in Spanish rather than its more frequently used meaning of “real” in English. Speaking of the word “real,” it can have the same meaning as the English word, but it also means “royal” in Spanish. I could probably think of more, but those are a few that quickly come to mind!
brand - English: mark applied using heat to livestock; corporate identity; trademark
These definitions at first glance are completely different, yet the words are certainly related both etymologically and semantically.
Your example of 'vent' is interesting - because if I (in English) 'vent' my anger am I perhaps letting off steam, or blowing my anger away? Yes, probably - which makes it not entirely surprising that the same word is French for 'wind'!
I remember a discussion at university in German between three students: a Brit, an American and a French student, all about how close (or not!) our respective languages were to German.
We talked about the word 'reason' - 'la raison' in French and 'der Grund' in German - at first glance only the French word looks as if it's related to the English one.
But of course another word for 'reason' in English is 'grounds', or 'ground', as in:
Grounds for divorce.
On what grounds do you make your claim? etc etc
But Mark, I'm afraid off the top of my head - although there are loads! - I can't think of any examples for your specific question!
Similar to French, “pan” is bread in Spanish. “Actual” actually (ha) means “current” in Spanish rather than its more frequently used meaning of “real” in English. Speaking of the word “real,” it can have the same meaning as the English word, but it also means “royal” in Spanish. I could probably think of more, but those are a few that quickly come to mind!
Another example - mist - has just crossed my mind! Apologies for lowering the tone...
This may be apocryphal, but Rolls Royce's fabulous car model that became the Silver Ghost had the initial proposed moniker of Silver Mist.
A beautiful name, no?
Not in German!
der Mist: dung, manure, muck.
Also used widely as a swear word, but rather than spelling it out here I'll leave it to your imagination. I'm a nice girl, after all...
Hmmm, this has got me thinking!
der Brand - German: fire, blaze
brand - English: mark applied using heat to livestock; corporate identity; trademark
These definitions at first glance are completely different, yet the words are certainly related both etymologically and semantically.
Your example of 'vent' is interesting - because if I (in English) 'vent' my anger am I perhaps letting off steam, or blowing my anger away? Yes, probably - which makes it not entirely surprising that the same word is French for 'wind'!
I remember a discussion at university in German between three students: a Brit, an American and a French student, all about how close (or not!) our respective languages were to German.
We talked about the word 'reason' - 'la raison' in French and 'der Grund' in German - at first glance only the French word looks as if it's related to the English one.
But of course another word for 'reason' in English is 'grounds', or 'ground', as in:
Grounds for divorce.
On what grounds do you make your claim? etc etc
But Mark, I'm afraid off the top of my head - although there are loads! - I can't think of any examples for your specific question!
I'll be back once I have......! :D
Excite ?
Bwa hah hah!