TLW96 - Nomads Results

Herve Bohbot, the French representative at last year’s WSC is one of very few Frenchmen
who play Scrabble in English. Although not his first language he
still managed to win 8 games at that elevated level
What chance would we have of playing in French? Well, according
to Geoff Cooper we are already using several French words...
The French Connection
Geoff Cooper, (currently sojourning in Northern France)
The following French words in capital letters are all allowed in
Scrabble but you won’t find these definitions in Chambers. LES VOILA !
[nb in French, nouns and their pertinent adjectives are designated either (m) masculine or
(f) feminine and/or (pl) plural]
AI = Have fr avoir - to have - j’ai, tu as,
DE = Of - a useful word which eliminates the possessive apostrophe.
EN = In ( and a variety of alternative meanings)
ES, EST = Are or Is, from être - to be - je suis, tu es, il est
ET = And LA = The (f) - le, la, les MA = My (f) - mon, ma , mes
OU = Or TA = Your (f) - ton, ta, tes UN = A or one
ANE = Ass BAS = Low or low down BEL = Fine, handsome, beautiful
CAP = Cape - Cap Gris Nez is where you would swim to from Dover and your nez
would be bleu
CAR = Coach or bus DIT = Say or said, from dire - to say - je dit = I say
FAR = Speciality flan from Brittany FIN = End JEU/X = Game/s
LES = The (pl) LOT = French Département also name of river MAL = Bad
MON = My (m) NON = No - what a NICE girl says? NOS = Our
PAR = By PAS = Not RIZ = Rice SEC = Dry
SON = His, hers or its when the noun is (m) - son, sa, ses
TES = Your (pl) TON = Your (m)
VIN = Wine - don’t drink VIN du CHATEAU - (see CHAT) ABBE = Priest
ATOC = (Sorry - the supermarket chain is Atac and it’s also found in Spain)
AUTO = Motor car - to be utterly confused see also CAR and VOITURE
BIEN = Well - as in didn’t he do....
BAUD = Breton town which stages Camion Cross or Truck Racing
BORD = Edge or rim BRIE = Famous cheese
BRUT = Rough or crude. Opp DOUX describing cider
CAFE = Coffee CENT = One hundred
CHAT = Cat - do not confuse with poussez (push)
CHEZ = At or to the house of - CHEZ NOUS - our house
COIN = Corner CUIT = Cooked - (BIEN CUIT - well done)
DANS = In or into DENT = Tooth
DOUX = Soft or sweet. Opp BRUT describing cider
FORT = Strong HAUT = High
HERM = Island - not French but closer to France than England
JOUR = Day MAIN = Hand
MIDI = Noon (In 30 minute’s time everywhere closes for 2 hours)
NICE = Where all the Nice French girls come from?
38
NOUS = Us or we - people from Leeds usually say this when they mean NOS though
CHEZ NOUS is “us ‘ouse” PAIN = Bread
PLAT = Dish or course - eg PLAT du JOUR PAYS = Country - eg Pays de Galles=Wales
PONT = Bridge - there’s an incomplete one at Avingnon
POUR = For - and a pourboire is a tip (for a drink) ROTI = roasted
ROUE = Wheel - as on a CAR (bus or coach ), AUTO or a VOITURE
ROUX = Red, ginger SANG = Blood
SARK = Island - not French but closer to France than England
SENE = A town on the Golfe de Morbihan close to Vannes
SEPT = Seven TETE = Head TIRE = Shoot, also a shot played in PETANQUE
TOIT = Roof TOUR = Tower eg Eiffel TOUT = All TRES = Very
TROP = Too - my PETANQUE approach play is often TROP FORT
ARRET = Stop BOULE = Ball - metal ball used to play PETANQUE
CARTE = Map CHAMP = Field
DROIT = Right - drive on this side. To confuse the British TOUT DROIT means straight ahead
FILET = A net - I thought that my steak was a bit stringy
JETON = I think this is a token. Anyway I have to put them in the slot for the campsite
washing machine to work
JEUNE = Young LAPIN = Rabbit
MERDE = A French expletive very common at JEUX des PETANQUE
PARIS = Capital of France PARTI = Left, from partir meaning ‘to leave’
PEAGE = Toll or toll road PERDU = Lost PETIT/E = Small, little, also a young child
PHARE = Lighthouse PLAGE = Beach PLUME = Pen
REDON = Town on the River Vilaine only a few kms from where I am now.
ROCHE = Rock - The town (excusez-moi, petite cité de caractère) of La Roche Bernard,
also on the Vilaine, is even nearer - just down the N165
ROUEN = French city (or CITÉ) SABLE = Sand
SALLE = Room - SALLE À MANGER - dining room
SEINE = Famous river running through PARIS and ROUEN
SELLA = Ex-international rugby player TOURS = Towers - also name of a French town
ANGERS = Yet another French town ATTEND = wait, from attendre - to wait
BRETON = Sort of French Plaid Cymru - someone who
paints out road signs if they are not in his language
GAUCHE = Left - don’t drive on this side unless you are
mad enough to attempt to overtake a Frenchman
MANGER = To eat MOULIN = A Mill
ORLEANS = French city also a common bonus
VOITURE = Car - not a motor coach or a bus but a motor
car. Again to confuse the Brits also a coach or carriage
FATIGUÉ = What I am after compiling this article and
what you are if you’ve read this far.
PS I am puzzled by Paté à l’Ancienne. I don’t know whether it is made at Ancienne or
by old people, for old people or even from old people. Well, Paté du Lapin isn’t made by
rabbits and I’ve not seen any lapins buying it in Intermarché. At €10.17 per kilo that
certainly makes me worth a “bob or two” but they’d probably use me to make Paté de
l’Âne. Geoff
39