| Summary: The French English dictionary is one of the most popular translation dictionaries in the United States. If purchasing a French to English dictionary to use while traveling, be sure to purchase a dictionary that includes terms from the form of French spoken in the region. |
If you’re interested in a French to English dictionary, you’re in good company. French-English dictionaries have always been strong sellers in the bilingual dictionary category of American book sales. With French being a popular choice for foreign language classes in American schools, as well as Paris being a top tourist destination (especially since the publication of Dan Brown’s The Da Vinci Code), sales of French-English dictionaries are likely to remain stable in the foreseeable future.
When choosing a French to English dictionary, it is important to make sure you choose the correct one for your purposes. Although most contain handy features like lists of French verbs and metric conversions, some dictionaries are designed for use only with the official language spoken in France itself, while others contain information about “unapproved” variations of French used in countries like Belgium, Switzerland, and Canada. France, unlike other countries, is very strict about controlling the influx of new terms into its language.
Since 1635, an organization known as L’Academie Francaise has overseen the inclusion of new words in the official French dictionary, hoping to keep the language pure from outside influences. L’Academie seems particularly concerned about preventing English from tainting the French language; whenever terms coined in English-speaking countries become internationally widespread, the Academie convenes to determine what the official French translation will be. This has created significant controversy among French speakers worldwide, because L’Academie’s jurisdiction extends only to its own country’s borders. Therefore, the French spoken in other countries, particularly Canada, is often looked upon with disdain by the forty-person L ‘Academie panel. If purchasing a French-English dictionary to use while traveling in French-speaking countries other than France, it is imperative to make sure that the dictionary includes terms from the form of French spoken in the region to which the purchaser is traveling.
Some dictionaries also cover the critical cultural differences between English and French. For instance, in France, telephone etiquette is significantly different than that in America. E-mail (officially called “courreil” in France) and postal correspondence follow different conventions than we are used to observing in America. In addition, conversation is seen as an art, and Americans in particular are viewed as lecturers, rather than practitioners of the art. Americans traveling to France who choose not to review these critical cultural differences are likely to find themselves treated coldly at best, and perhaps even rudely. Thus the American stereotype of the rude Frenchman was born, when in actuality, the Americans are bringing it upon themselves by not studying and respecting the French culture before traveling abroad.
As with the purchase of any bilingual dictionary, size and portability are strong factors a purchaser should consider when making his choice. Obviously, an unabridged French-English dictionary, though definitive, would not be the first choice for asking directions to the Louvre. By the same token, a pocket travel dictionary would not be sufficient for reference while reading plays by Moliere in the original French. By keeping the purpose in mind and examining the features of the many French-English dictionaries available, a purchaser will be able to find exactly the right French-English dictionary for their needs.
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