I think one of my proudest moments in grade school was the time my teacher asked the class if anyone knew where denim came from. I over-excitedly raised my hand and blurted out, “Nîmes! The city in France!” My grandparents were from Nîmes and they had bestowed me with the rather obscure fact that the English word “denim” was a play on the fact that it was a textile which originally came from Nîmes → de Nîmes. As it turns out, the English language is full of hidden French phrases. Even if you speak French, you may have never noticed the connection. Take a look at this artful little crash course in French phrases hidden in English words…
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
