Jan's writing basics #5a--An interesting word
Posted: Sun Feb 14, 2010 8:07 pm
Hiya, class!
I've had some computer issues and some family issues, both of which are taking me out of town tomorrow (Monday). I hope to be back in time to post a class Monday afternoon or evening--I'll write it in the car. Yeah, on paper, with a pencil.
In the meantime, I'll give you the
Quick Take
Okay, picture this--you're working away in the kitchen. Everyone's waiting around the table, and you bring in something wonderful with a cover on it. You lift up the cover, and you say...
Or for those of you who aren't cooks, let's try this scenario. You're getting ready for a really nice evening out. You've been primping for hours, and your spouse is waiting expectantly on the sofa. You peek around the corner, then hop out in full view, saying...
What did you say? Wahlah? Walla? Waa laa?
Nope, nor any similar variation. What you said was "Voila!"
It's French, a form of their verb voir, to see. Those who know more French than I should feel free to correct me, but I believe it means approximately "see there!" Our word voyeur has the same root.
I've seen this word misspelled many, many times. That French "v" at the beginning almost sounds like a "w", and if you've never seen it written, that's quite often what you might hear. A very understandable mistake.
Go here to hear it pronounced correctly.
A full lesson on another topic altogether will follow in a day or so. Bear with me.
I've had some computer issues and some family issues, both of which are taking me out of town tomorrow (Monday). I hope to be back in time to post a class Monday afternoon or evening--I'll write it in the car. Yeah, on paper, with a pencil.
In the meantime, I'll give you the
Quick Take
Okay, picture this--you're working away in the kitchen. Everyone's waiting around the table, and you bring in something wonderful with a cover on it. You lift up the cover, and you say...
Or for those of you who aren't cooks, let's try this scenario. You're getting ready for a really nice evening out. You've been primping for hours, and your spouse is waiting expectantly on the sofa. You peek around the corner, then hop out in full view, saying...
What did you say? Wahlah? Walla? Waa laa?
Nope, nor any similar variation. What you said was "Voila!"
It's French, a form of their verb voir, to see. Those who know more French than I should feel free to correct me, but I believe it means approximately "see there!" Our word voyeur has the same root.
I've seen this word misspelled many, many times. That French "v" at the beginning almost sounds like a "w", and if you've never seen it written, that's quite often what you might hear. A very understandable mistake.
Go here to hear it pronounced correctly.
A full lesson on another topic altogether will follow in a day or so. Bear with me.