French Loanwords about Fashion

Presenters: Candy Chen Helen Cheng

Introduction

• the Norman Conquest of 1066

• Crusades: Arab=>Europe (Weaving & Spinning Techniques)

• The Hundred Years' War from 1337 to 1453

[Vogue]

The fashion magazine began publication in 1892.

VogueDefinition: a fashion or general liking, especially one which is temporary Etymology: 1571, the vogue, "leading place in popularity, greatest success or acceptance," from Middle French vogue "fashion, success, drift, swaying motion (of a boat),from Old French voguer "to row, sway, set sail," probably from Old Low German *wogon, variant of wagon "float, fluctuate," lit. "to balance oneself.” Apparently the notion is of being "borne along on the waves of fashion."

*Phrase in vogue "having a prominent place in popular fashion" first recorded 1643.

[Fashion Clothes]

Prêt-à-port

Definition: ready-to-wear; produced in standard sizes and not made to fit a particular person

Etymology:1957, from French prêt à porter,meaning"ready-to-wear." Porter is "to carry," from

Latin portare "to carry"

Haute couture

Definition:expensive clothes of original design and high

quality Etymology:1.haute :"high in one's own estimation" (early

15c.), with adj. suffix, from Old French haut "high," from Latin altus, with initial h- by influence of Frankish hoh "high.“

2.Couture :1908, from French, meaning "dressmaking, sewing," used as a collective term for "women's fashion designers."

[Adjective]

Chic

Definition: stylish and fashionable; smart and clever

Etymology:1.1856, from French originally "subtlety," 2.Perhaps related to German schick "tact,

skill," or from French chicane "trick, double bend" from chicanerie "niggling"

[Store]

Boutique

Definition:a small shop that sells fashionable clothes,

shoes,jewellery, etc.Etymology:1. 1953 "fashion shop"2. earlier "small shop of any sort" (1767),

from French boutique (14c.), from Old Provençal. botica, from Greek. apotheke

Louis Vuitton Boutique (Paris, France)

[Type of Clothes]

MaillotDefinition: 1. a pair of tights worn for dancing or gymnastics. 2. a woman’s one-piece swimsuit.Etymology: 1. Being inducted into the English dictionary in 1928 2. Derived from the French phrase for swaddling clothes. 3. The fashion designer's name for a woman's one-piece swimsuit

Brazilian-made crochet maillot

[Cosmetics]

Rouge

Definition: a red or pink powder put on the cheeks to make the face look more attractive. Etymology: 1.1753 2.in cosmetic sense, from Fr. rouge "red coloring matter," from adj.

Nars fall 2009 Lolita Collection

[Accessories]

Chapeau

Definition: a hatEtymology: 1. 1520s, from Fr. chapeau 2. 12c. O.Fr. capel

chapeau fashion week

Corsage

Definition: a small decorative group of flowers which a woman pins to her clothes or ties around her wrist, usually for a special occasionEtymology: 1. late 15c., "size of the body," from O.Fr. cors "body"2. the meaning "body of a woman's dress, bodice" is from 1818 in fashion plates transl. from Fr.3. Sense of "a bouquet worn on the bodice" is 1911, Amer.Eng., apparently from Fr. bouquet de corsage "bouquet of the bodice."

Chanel corsage collection

[Fabric]

[Fabric]

Satin

Definition: [U] a type of cloth, sometimes made ofsilk, which is smooth and shiny on one side but noton the otherEtymology: 1.1369, from O.Fr. Satin2. perhaps from Arabic (atlas) zaytuni"(satin) fromZaitun," a Satin Definition: [U] a type of cloth,sometimes made of silk, which is smooth andshiny on one side but not on the other

Satin

Conclusion

• Loanwords enrich English vocabulary .

• Language enables culture interaction (e.g. French loanwords bring French

culture into English-speaking countries)

• Loanwords indicate the changing of the position of countries in different time throughout history.