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RE: Musings on the Oxymoron of the "Only Choice"
You mean "un alternatif"? Mais ils peux avoir plusieur alternatifs, non? I don't spell perfect French, never liked the so many rules, COD, conjugation, and the and other things. English was intuitively learned by doing (write/speak) and reading. I'll check out Pinker, thanks for the recommendation and feedback.
Now that's an interesting question. I had to look it up to make sure, but if my dictionary's correct, alternatif is an adjective, not a noun and it means alternating, as in courant alternatif (the AC kind of electricity). There's a second definition which touches on the original discussion: it can mean alternative, in the sense of different. Our translation professor was most strict on us Anglos not using alternative in the English sense - we had months and months on how to avoid anglicisms. Fascinating stuff.
And yes, English does let you learn intuitively. Good old COD! Haven't heard of him for years, but didn't even have to look it up when I saw it - shudder.
Enjoy Pinker.
Ah yes my bad, I didn't even check the dictionary lol. I am prone to anglicism and turning english words into french. It works so well and Quebecer French has quite a few english words in there colloquially.
You're right - I wasn't aware of it or sensitive to it until I started studying translation. Quebec French used to be pretty accepting of this...unless the Office de la Langue Française has grown even sharper teeth...yikes....