Excuse My French Trivia Quiz

Answer: Entree

'Entrée' means 'entrance' in French. Interestingly, while the word 'entrée' is used in English-speaking countries around the world, the meaning can differ. In many regions, the word takes on its French meaning and refers to an appetizer course in a meal - an entrance into the meal, if you will.

In North American English, however, the word 'entrée' typically refers to the meal's main course.

Answer: Voyeur

The literal meaning of 'voyeur' in French is 'one who sees'; it is derived from the verb 'voir', which means 'to see'.

A voyeur is one who observes people without their knowledge, usually in an intimate context. Another word for a voyeur might be a 'peeping Tom', but the latter term is typically used in a less deviant context. In psychology, voyeurism is included in the DSM IV (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of mental disorders, volume four) and is classified as a sexually deviant disorder in the ICD-10 (International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, tenth revision).

Answer: Au pair

An au pair is somewhat of a cross between a nanny and a foreign exchange student (except without going to school). Au pairs, typically young people and predominantly female, are usually tasked with taking care of their host family's children and possibly some light housework, but they are not considered to be servants of the family, but rather a member of the family for the duration of their stay. 'Au pair' in French means 'on par', indicating that an au pair is not beneath the family in social status.

Answer: Laissez-faire

'Laissez-faire' translates to 'leave it alone' or 'let it be'. In economics, it refers to a capitalist economy that is allowed to flow on its own without government intervention or restrictions. The term has long been used in France and was adopted in English-speaking countries in the 18th century.

It was used by Jeremy Bentham and James Mills. The term has also been used to describe a style of governance in politics.

Answer: Née

'Née' in French is the feminine version of 'born'. It comes from the verb 'naître'. In French, the phrase 'elle est née' translates to 'she was born'. The word is used much the same in English, usually in writing. You see it often, for example, in birth announcements, such as "Baby Billy was born to John and Judy Smith, née Jones", indicating that Jones was Judy's surname before she married John Smith. Similarly, 'né' without the extra 'e' on the end is the masculine form of the word, but it is less commonly seen as men typically change their surnames less often.

Answer: Bourgeoisie

'Bourgeoisie' means pretty much the same thing in both French and English. The word dates back to pre-Revolution France when it was used to describe wealthy members of the Third Estate (not nobility, nor clergy, nor peasants). It became widely used in English in the mid-19th century, with the rise of Marxism and class warfare in capitalist society.

The word in this context means the business owners, as opposed to the workers (the proletariat).

Answer: Roux

In cooking, a roux is typically the beginning of a sauce or gravy. It involves cooking a fat (often butter) with flour in order to give the sauce a thick base. After the melted fat and flour are combined, the liquid gets added, then the seasonings. In French cooking, a roux is used for all three of the 'master sauces': béchamel, velouté and espagnole.

Many French words are used as cooking terms in English, as many English-speaking chefs study French cooking.

Answer: Montage

A montage, in filmmaking, is a series of edited together images or scenes (typically presented with musical accompaniment) to present a condensed version of events. For example, if the characters in a film are building a house, rather than present the entire process to the audience, the filmmaker will probably film a few scenes of housebuilding and piece them together to show the story of the characters building the house in just a couple of minutes.

A montage can also refer to a series of still images.

In French, 'montage' means the same thing as in English.

Answer: Mardi gras

Mardi gras literally translates to 'Fat Tuesday' and is observed on the day before Ash Wednesday, which is the first day of the season of Lent. The day is also called Shrove Tuesday or Pancake Tuesday in English. The name refers to the practice of eating rich, fatty foods before giving them up for Lent.

In many areas around the world, Mardi gras is observed as a season itself, rather than just a single day, and carnivals are held in many locations. The most popular celebration in North America takes place in New Orleans.

Answer: Détente

'Détente', in French, means the lessening of political tension. The word has been widely used with the same meaning in English in the context of a period of the Cold War, particularly during the 1970s when several agreements and treaties such as the SALT treaties were signed by both the United States and the Soviet Union. Détente came about as both sides of the conflict really began to fear mutually assured destruction by nuclear weapons.

The period of détente came to end around 1980, with the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan and new US President Ronald Reagan's anti-détente policies.