Optimnen: foreign language courses from Daniel Tammet
French-English Cognates French-English Cognates
A cognate is a word related to one in another language. English and French have many such words (think of 'café' or 'entrepreneur'). Below is a list of some of the lesser known, with the more commonly used English equivalent to the right of each:
- Aberrant (abnormal)
- Abstinent (teetotaller)
- Affable (likeable)
- Altercation (argument)
- Brusque (gruff)
- Candeur (spelt 'candour' in English, honesty)
- Chagrin (embarrassment)
- Commence (start)
- Corpulent (obese)
- Debut (start)
- Demi (half, part)
- Diatribe (outburst)
- Discordant (disharmonious)
- Explication (explanation)
- Exposition (exhibition)
- Ferment (social unrest)
- Filiation (paternity)
- Harangue (browbeat)
- Insucces (spelt 'insuccess', failure)
- Juxtaposition (side-by-side)
- Locution (saying)
- Machination (plot)
- Nacre (mother-of-pearl)
- Nomenclature (terminology)
- Occlusion (blockage)
- Penchant (liking)
- Pillage (looting)
- Procuration (obtaining)
- Recalcitrant (repeat offender)
- Restitution (restoration)
- Semblant (spelt 'semblance', appearance)
- Serpent (snake)
- Sobriquet (nickname)
- Somnolent (sleepy, drowsy)
- Utilise (use)
- Usurpation (overthrow)
- Vagabond (tramp, hobo)
- Verbiage (wordiness)
- Veritable (genuine)
- Vestibule (hallway)
You can also download a word version of this exercise.
