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degree of "awfulness"


mint

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Seeing as there has recently been some new threads on the French Language Forum, I feel encouraged to present for your consideration a few words relating to "awfulness" or "horribleness" and invite people to grade them from 1 to 12, increasing in er...degrees [:)]

Here then is the list and mind you do your homework sooner rather than later because I shall be back to check your answers when I return from the gym [geek]

1) affolement

2) appréhension

3}effroi

4) frayeur

5) inquiétude

6) frousse

7) trac

8) épouvante

9) horreur

10) alarm

11) phobie

10) panique

So....over to you....alors!

Edit:  oops, pardon, for alarm read alarme!

 

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Well, regardless, it is a bit like jolie, beau etc, they are largely interchangable and depend on the personality of the user. Thus, say, a matronly Welsh housewife might well make a difference but ados would not, except that they do tend to user version where possible as they are lazy little horreurs, easily prone to la trac and des phobies as well as horreurs, but the rest are far too long![kiss]
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[quote user="You can call me Betty"]What about la trouille?
[/quote]

I love that one!

As with all new words you are often left with a complete understanding of when and where it is said but as for translating it, well thats another matter.

Of course avoir la trouille probably means nothing of the sort but the word cunjures a vision to me of an uncontrollable and reflexive tightening of the sphincter muscles in the way that anyone who has driven a really low slung sports car like a Caterham gets when they see a speed bump or pothole at the very last minute.

Every time I hear the word spoken relating an experience my muscles twitch in sympathy [:-))]

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