Long before that the hexagonal land that we know today as France was invaded by foreign German tribes called the Franks, who went as far as changing its original language and name, it was known to its inhabitants as La Gaule.
Those native inhabitants, who were of Celtic “souche“ (a Gaulish word meaning “stock”, “origin”), were known as les Gaulois.
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Jean-Michel Thibaux’s “To Understand the Celtcs and the Gauls”
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In spite of the Franks invasion of la Gaule, the Gaulish language (or language of the Gauls) was not completely wiped out.
Loin de là (Far from that)!
In fact, even today, many French people do not seem to suspect that a lot of the mots communs (common words) they use on a daily basis have une origine gauloise.
So, quels sont ces mots au juste ? (What are these words, precisely?)
Here they are to you, accompanied here and there with des exemples of how they can be used in le langage courant (informal language.)
Allez, c’est parti !
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* Aller: Did we just say “allez“? Allez, of course, comes from “aller“, “to go”—As in “Allez les Bleus!“
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* Alouette: Lark—As in “alouette, gentille alouette!“
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* Ambassade: Embassy
As in manifestations devant l’ambassade d’Egypte
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* Ardoise: Slate
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* Balai: Groom
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* Bassin: Basin—As in the beautiful bassin d’Arcachon, not too far from Bordeaux!
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* Battre: to Beat
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* Bec: Beak
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* Belette: Weasel—As in “Qui est la Belette?” by Manau!
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* Béret: Beret
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* Berceau: Cradle
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* Branche: Branch
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Native Canadian Rap—in French!
* Brave: Brave—Even before the failed attempt of le General de Gaulle at quelling the Algerian Revolution, the term “Paix des Braves” (“Peace of the Braves”) was used to denote the “Great Peace of Montreal”, between what was known back then as “New France” and the native nations “amérindiennes” in Canada
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* Bribe: Parcel
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* Briser: To break—Like “briser la glace” (“Breaking the ice”)
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* Budget: Budget (Crossed the manche twice! Originally from the Gaulois “bulga“, a leather bag.)
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* Cabane: Cabin
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* Cagoule: Hood—As in “Fous ta cagoule!” (“Put on your hood!”)
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