This study examines French words and phrases that have entered the English lexicon untranslated. Since 1500, English has borrowed more from French than any other modern foreign language. While many of these words have been naturalized, some retain their foreign roots, presenting challenges in spelling and pronunciation for native English speakers. Often italicized to distinguish them, these words act as émigrés—French foreigners within the English language. A significant influx of French terms, such as à-la-mode, ennui, naïveté, and caprice, emerged in the 1660s during the French influence of Charles II's court in Restoration England. These foreign words are frequently embraced by English speakers, adding a certain je-ne-sais-quoi that enriches the language, though their adoption has sometimes faced resistance, reflecting the ambivalence towards foreign influences. Richard Scholar poses intriguing questions about the roles of these French words in English, how their meanings have evolved, and what their study reveals about the relationships between languages and cultures. The author investigates the meanings and associations these words carry from the French tradition and situates their emergence within the broader context of early modern attitudes toward foreign cultures and their influences.
