{"id":26209,"date":"2017-03-14T03:45:18","date_gmt":"2017-03-14T02:45:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/french\/?p=26209"},"modified":"2017-10-27T12:36:47","modified_gmt":"2017-10-27T10:36:47","slug":"blizzard","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/french\/blizzard\/","title":{"rendered":"Blizzard!"},"content":{"rendered":"

In New York, we are awaiting a huge blizzard just several weeks before the first day of spring. But did you know that the word “blizzard” is actually a\u00a0loanword–from English to French?<\/p>\n

The exact etymology of “blizzard” is unknown, although it was first used in the eighteenth century in Minnesota and it has been claimed to have been of Germanic origin. From the northern United States, the word spread to northern European countries and to France. If you speak of\u00a0un blizzard<\/em> (ble-EZ-ar)<\/em>, in French, you will be understood.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Although you might hear the word\u00a0le blizzard\u00a0<\/em>in French, there are a lot of other words to describe a snowy winter storm. In French, you might also hear about\u00a0une\u00a0temp\u00eate de neige,\u00a0<\/em>which more generally translates as a snow storm, or\u00a0une tourmente de neige.\u00a0<\/em>Both of these words express an accumulation of snow, although not at the intensity and with the sustained winds of a blizzard.<\/p>\n

We are anticipating a possible whiteout tomorrow. The French word for this is\u00a0un blanc dehors.\u00a0<\/em>But there are other beautiful words to describe a whiteout in French:\u00a0un temps laiteux\u00a0<\/em>and\u00a0un voile blanc.\u00a0<\/em>Literally, this means, respectively, “milky weather” and “a white veil.” Poetic, right?<\/p>\n

Here are some other snowy weather vocabulary words to help those of you who are in the blizzard’s path get through:<\/p>\n

it’s cold out —\u00a0il fait froid<\/em><\/p>\n

a cold spell —\u00a0une vague de froid<\/em><\/p>\n

the ice —\u00a0la glace<\/em><\/p>\n

the snow — la neige<\/em><\/p>\n

the hail —\u00a0la gr\u00eale<\/em><\/p>\n

it’s snowing —\u00a0il neige<\/em><\/p>\n

it’s icing —\u00a0il g\u00e8le<\/em><\/p>\n

a snowflake — un flocon de neige<\/em><\/p>\n

the winter —\u00a0l’hiver<\/em><\/p>\n

a snowman —\u00a0un bonhomme de neige<\/em><\/p>\n

slippery —\u00a0glissant<\/em><\/p>\n

a snow shovel —\u00a0la pelle \u00e0 neige\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

For those of you who will be going through the blizzard tomorrow,\u00a0restez au chaud\u00a0<\/em>(stay warm)!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"\"\"

In New York, we are awaiting a huge blizzard just several weeks before the first day of spring. But did you know that the word “blizzard” is actually a\u00a0loanword–from English to French? The exact etymology of “blizzard” is unknown, although it was first used in the eighteenth century in Minnesota and it has been claimed…<\/p>\n

Continue Reading<\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"author":123,"featured_media":29156,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"content-type":""},"categories":[13],"tags":[408503,432,348538],"class_list":["post-26209","post","type-post","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-vocabulary","tag-free-french-lesson","tag-french-vocabulary","tag-winter-vocabulary"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t