demoiselle

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William Hupy
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demoiselle

Postby William Hupy » Mon Feb 16, 2015 10:15 am

Are English speakers allowed to consider this word properly borrowed from French or does this remain a strictly French word? I just discovered this word in a book by Barbara Tuchman about 14th century Europe.
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call_copse
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Re: demoiselle

Postby call_copse » Mon Feb 16, 2015 12:04 pm

The crane, the damselfly, the early aircraft or the meaning of the young unmarried woman?
Iain

William Hupy
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Re: demoiselle

Postby William Hupy » Tue Feb 17, 2015 9:48 am

Good point. All of them.
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call_copse
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Re: demoiselle

Postby call_copse » Wed Feb 18, 2015 7:32 am

My less than fully educated guess would be the first three - proper borrows, the last, still French.
Iain

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Re: demoiselle

Postby eberntson » Thu Feb 19, 2015 3:42 pm

The aircraft is also french, it was an aircraft built by Alberto Santos-Dumont a Brazilian aviator in France in the early 1900s.
EBERNTSON
Fear less, hope more;
eat less, chew more;
whine less, breathe more;
talk less, say more,
and all good things will be yours.
--R. Burns

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Re: demoiselle

Postby misterdoe » Wed Feb 25, 2015 9:36 am

When dealing with a demoiselle, be careful not to make her mad. :)

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Re: demoiselle

Postby eberntson » Mon Mar 02, 2015 12:12 am

Hell hath no fury as a scorned demoiselle.
EBERNTSON
Fear less, hope more;
eat less, chew more;
whine less, breathe more;
talk less, say more,
and all good things will be yours.
--R. Burns


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