Comments on: The meaning of the French phrase “bête noire” http://languagegeek.net/2007/08/28/the-meaning-of-the-french-phrase-bete-noire/ Just blogging about my language geekery. Fri, 05 Dec 2008 09:46:51 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.5 By: Alan Fisk http://languagegeek.net/2007/08/28/the-meaning-of-the-french-phrase-bete-noire/#comment-15997 Alan Fisk Tue, 22 Jul 2008 12:10:06 +0000 http://languagegeek.net/2007/08/28/the-meaning-of-the-french-phrase-bete-noire/#comment-15997 In French, a "bête noire" is not something that you hate (as it is used in English), but something that you fear; "en avoir peur comme d'une bête noire". In French, a “bête noire” is not something that you hate (as it is used in English), but something that you fear; “en avoir peur comme d’une bête noire”.

]]> By: theguy http://languagegeek.net/2007/08/28/the-meaning-of-the-french-phrase-bete-noire/#comment-7686 theguy Tue, 06 Nov 2007 20:12:09 +0000 http://languagegeek.net/2007/08/28/the-meaning-of-the-french-phrase-bete-noire/#comment-7686 Bete noire is from French, but is an English idiom. Bete noire is from French, but is an English idiom.

]]> By: dmh http://languagegeek.net/2007/08/28/the-meaning-of-the-french-phrase-bete-noire/#comment-588 dmh Wed, 29 Aug 2007 08:58:22 +0000 http://languagegeek.net/2007/08/28/the-meaning-of-the-french-phrase-bete-noire/#comment-588 Literally "bête noire" means "black beast". I think scholarly writers write under the assumption that anyone who would read their work would be versed in the language that they use. As I understand if you read a scholarly work from the 19th century, you'll find no translations for French, Spanish, Italian, German. As it was assumed, as I said, anyone who would read such a work would know those languages. Literally “bête noire” means “black beast”.

I think scholarly writers write under the assumption that anyone who would read their work would be versed in the language that they use.

As I understand if you read a scholarly work from the 19th century, you’ll find no translations for French, Spanish, Italian, German. As it was assumed, as I said, anyone who would read such a work would know those languages.

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