refiningfrenchenglish

[refiningfrenchenglish]

Allows to

e.g. This feature allows to show additional information in the window.

This is technically OK in English but definitely a code smell that you are translating from your native language.

I haven't thought about this extensively, but I think either: - You want to use "to enable" or "to let" (e.g. This feature enables showing additional information in the window. or This feature lets the window show additional information.) or - Drop it/Rewrite the sentence: The window can now show additional information. or Adding the ability to show additional information in the window.

Note: Not just French, I see this from other latin-based languages as well.

[refiningfrenchenglish]

Scrapping vs Scraping

Scrap

My idea didn't work, so I scrapped it.

He ate most of the food but left some scraps for the dog.

Scrape

I wanted to index the internet so I built a tool to scrape it.

There was ice on the windshield this morning, so I scraped it off.

[refiningfrenchenglish]

Than vs As

same thing than yesterday

same thing as yesterday

similar experience than when searching

similar experience as when when searching

[refiningfrenchenglish]

Boring vs Ennuyeux

if you run into boring cops

if you run into annoying cops

s’ennuyer = to get bored

ennuyant = annoying

(credit Christophe Resigne)

[refiningfrenchenglish]

And Me? And I?

don’t ping Tom and I

don’t ping Tom and me

This one is a frequent error even for native english speakers

When you’re not sure whether to use “I” or “me”, try saying the sentence out loud but removing the other person.

e.g. don't ping I vs don't ping me

[refiningfrenchenglish]

Resources vs Ressources

One "s" !

ressources

Resources

[refiningfrenchenglish]

Connection vs Connexion

No 'x' in English, sorry.

connexion 

connection

[refiningfrenchenglish]

Those vs These

In those difficult times, I would like to

In these difficult times, I would like to

"those” indicates referring to the past, or something previously mentioned.

“these” is the present, or something you are about to mention.

Nobody had internet in the middle ages. Those were difficult times.

Apples and oranges: those are my favorites.

vs.

Today we have internet on the toilet. These are great times.

These are my favorites: apples and oranges.

[refiningfrenchenglish]

This vs That

Is that the right place

Is this the right place

"that" means "something somewhere else"

"this" means "something here" (where you are right now)

Boulangerie

I heard about boulangeries. Is that the right place to buy chocolatines?

vs.

<walks into boulangerie/> Hello sir, is this the right place to buy chocolatines?

WFH

I hate working from home. I'm just putting that here to be honest.

vs.

I'm just putting this here to be honest: I hate working from home. 

Before or After

Use "this" before introducing something, use "that" to refer to something that's already been introduced.

Check out this link: www.chicken.com

vs.

Checkout www.chicken.com! 

That's where I buy all my chickens.::

Post

[refiningfrenchenglish]

Here vs There

👋 Jim sent me there

👋 Jim sent me here

"there" means "somewhere else"

"here" means...well "here" (where you are right now)

On Slack

…..when showing up in a chat room, you are now “here”, not “there”

For example, valid messages in a channel called #foo:

I spent all afternoon in #bar. Jim sent me there.

vs.

I've been in #foo all afternoon. Jim sent me here.

First day at job:

Happy to be here !

vs. 

Happy to be there !

In a document:

Look at this right here:

<things we want reader to see/>

[refiningfrenchenglish]

Either or

Either it’s X either it’s Y

Either it's X or Y

[refiningfrenchenglish]

Much or Many

depending on how much of your imports are typed

depending on how many of your imports are typed

We use "many" when it's something you can count.

We use "much" when it's something you can't count." 

For example, you can't count water, but you can count bottles of water.

He doesn't drink much water.

vs.

He doesn't drink many bottles of water.

[refiningfrenchenglish]

Serie vs Series

Context: Math, talking about a collection of numbers.

"Serie" is not an English word.

We say "series" for both singular and plural.

e.g. Click ButtonX to graph a single series or ButtonY to graph multiple series.

[refiningfrenchenglish]

That being said

I hope you will always be happy employees. That being said, have a good weekend !

I hope you will always be happy employees. Having said that, I wish you a good weekend !

      vs.

I count on all of you to work on the incident this weekend. That being said, have a good weekend !

A good faux ami right here. 

The french equivalent can mean multiple things… and we have different phrases for them in English.

Ceci étant dit ⇒ "Having said that" or "With these remarks"

    but also

Ceci étant dit ⇒ That being said (However)

Thanks to Emmanuel Pot for proofreading.

[refiningfrenchenglish]

Flaky vs Flacky

flackey or flacky

flakey or flaky

- Flake: a small, flat, very thin piece of something. flocon

- Flack: anti-aircraft fire. tir antiaérien

A test that sometimes passes but sometimes fails is called flaky or flakey (long `a` like fake), but not flacky (short `a` like hacky).

[refiningfrenchenglish]

There vs Their vs They’re

Context is key (english speakers often mix these incorrectly too)

There - refers to a location “Look at that dog over there”

Their - refers to possesion “Don’t take that toy from them, it is their toy”

They’re - “they are” refers to describing someone “They’re looking good in those new shades”

All 3: “Don’t go over there, they’re working on their project”