French

pecified vowel.)

The circumflex ("^"): Put an "s" after the letter with a circumflex. hôpital = hoSpital, pâté = paSty

-MENT becomes -LY: rapideMENT = rapidLY, fataleMENT = fatalLY

-(ISS)ANT becomes -ING (-ISSANT may become -ISHING): aidANT (helping) = aidING, regardANT (watching) = regardING, finISSANT = finISHING

"CH" becomes "C" at the beginning of a word: CHat = Cat, CHapeau = Cap

"É" becomes "S" at the beginning of a word: École = School, Étudiant = Student

The "U"s and the "L"s: When you have a vowel or vowels followed by "u", the "u" (and sometimes, some of the preceding vowels) becomes "l". • •

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"U" becomes "L": veaU = veaL, peaU (skin) = peaL v1v2U becomes v1L: CHâteaU = CaSteL (the old spelling of castle) vUX becomes vLS: nationaUX = nationaL(S), CHâteaUX = CaSteLS

Note that the interplay between U and L also explains why the handsome suitor is a beaU, his lovely lady is a beLLe, and the two of them are possessed of beaUty ("beauté" in French). -ER and -IR and other endings drop giving an English word: regardER = regard, quittER = to quit (to leave), partir = part -IR and related endings become -ISH: ternIR = tarnISH, finIR = finISH, ravIR = ravISH

-IR and related endings change to -E to give a French adjective. Decode the adjective: brunIR becomes brunE (brown) so brunIR means "to brown" or "to turn brown". rougIR becomes rougE (red) so rougIR means "to turn red" or "blush". -FIER becomes -FY: justiFIER = justiFY G/GU becomes W: Garde-robe = Wardrobe, GUerre = War -EUX/EUSE = -OUS: dangerEUX/EUSE = dangerOUS, libellEUX/EUSE = libelOUS. -EUR/EUSE = -OR: actEUR = actOR, vendEUR/vendEUSE (salesperson) = vendOR -RICE = -RESS: actRICE = actRESS, séductRICE = seductRESS -vIT/-vIRE = vCT: faIT = faCT, conduIRE (drive) = conduCT (NB: parfaIT = perfeCT, séduIRE = seduCE)