A chacun son goût
May 15th, 2013, 09:40 PM
#123
Original Poster
<i>"A chacun son goût"</i> is alive and well in Paris. The only competition for the same meaning is the more unwieldy <i>"Les goûts et les couleurs ne se discutent pas"</i> often shortened to just <i>"les goûts et les couleurs..."</i>
Saying that either of these expressions is no longer used in France would be akin to saying that in the United States nobody says "to each his own" or "there's no accounting for taste" anymore. These expressions, either in French or English, have very specific uses in the language and I really don't see what alternative expression would replace these meanings, or why. (Well, I suppose one could devise a more PC "to each one's own" to eliminate sexism.)
Saying that either of these expressions is no longer used in France would be akin to saying that in the United States nobody says "to each his own" or "there's no accounting for taste" anymore. These expressions, either in French or English, have very specific uses in the language and I really don't see what alternative expression would replace these meanings, or why. (Well, I suppose one could devise a more PC "to each one's own" to eliminate sexism.)
May 16th, 2013, 12:39 AM
#125
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FWIW, I just checked it out. No reference in my 45-year old copy of Grévisse's Le Bon Usage (pages about using chacun with singulars and plurals), but my very new Collins Robert Dictionary firmly says "chacun son goût" (no "à" anywhere).
May 16th, 2013, 02:29 AM
#126
For what it's worth, I don't think either of my two daughters would say "to each his own" or "there's no accounting for taste". In fact, they look at me like I'm from Mars when I use many expressions that were common when I was growing up.
May 16th, 2013, 06:18 AM
#129
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Wow Nikki... You sound normal?... Are you lost? This is not the forum for normal people.
My husband and I talk about this forum at dinner... (that's sad, right?)... I describe the blow by blow updates... the rudeness, And not from young people... from old people!!.
I am not proud of this, but I checked this forum at 3 AM to see who had thrown the last punch. And StCirq did not dissappoint.
PalenQ...It would appear it is your turn.
Every few years I try to join Fodors... It lasts a few months. This time, I thought perhaps I could answer some questions about Slovakia (but there aren't any) or Hungary (but there aren't many). Each time I learn, this forum is dominated by a fairly small bunch of people - some of whom seem helpful and some of whom are quite over bearing.
It's time for me to retire (again)... But seriously, before anyone says anything else... Is this fight worth it? To me it is a touch silly and a good bit sad.
(StCirq, you wouldn't waste your time on Dan Brown's book - but you have time for this?).
My husband and I talk about this forum at dinner... (that's sad, right?)... I describe the blow by blow updates... the rudeness, And not from young people... from old people!!.
I am not proud of this, but I checked this forum at 3 AM to see who had thrown the last punch. And StCirq did not dissappoint.
PalenQ...It would appear it is your turn.
Every few years I try to join Fodors... It lasts a few months. This time, I thought perhaps I could answer some questions about Slovakia (but there aren't any) or Hungary (but there aren't many). Each time I learn, this forum is dominated by a fairly small bunch of people - some of whom seem helpful and some of whom are quite over bearing.
It's time for me to retire (again)... But seriously, before anyone says anything else... Is this fight worth it? To me it is a touch silly and a good bit sad.
(StCirq, you wouldn't waste your time on Dan Brown's book - but you have time for this?).
May 16th, 2013, 09:29 AM
#132
and is NOT American, but obviously French, as we don't have any of the words that constitute "`a chacun son goût" in English. I'd wager than 99.9% of Americans, like you, have never even heard of the expression.>>
but it IS english, in the sense that it, or a variation of it is in common parlance in the UK where most people who understand the phrase 'chacun a son gout" to mean "to each his own", even though, like the american phrase "i could care less" [instead of "we couldn't care less"] we have rather mangled the original.
but it IS english, in the sense that it, or a variation of it is in common parlance in the UK where most people who understand the phrase 'chacun a son gout" to mean "to each his own", even though, like the american phrase "i could care less" [instead of "we couldn't care less"] we have rather mangled the original.
May 16th, 2013, 11:09 AM
#133
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From reference sources I quoted above <A chacun son gout> is mainly an American/English word that researchers said was little used in France:
The phrase is much more common with us than it is in France, where we meet with the phrases —Chacun a sa chacunerie (everyone has his idiosyncrasy), and chacun a sa marotte (everyone has his hobby). In Latin sua cuique voluptas, “as the good-man said when he kissed his cow.”
So it seems they had trouble finding its use in France so it is more now an American/English word than French (yes it is French but not much used - rarely used according to this researcher. St-Cirq says it is widely used in France - serious scholars dispute that!
The phrase is much more common with us than it is in France, where we meet with the phrases —Chacun a sa chacunerie (everyone has his idiosyncrasy), and chacun a sa marotte (everyone has his hobby). In Latin sua cuique voluptas, “as the good-man said when he kissed his cow.”
So it seems they had trouble finding its use in France so it is more now an American/English word than French (yes it is French but not much used - rarely used according to this researcher. St-Cirq says it is widely used in France - serious scholars dispute that!
May 16th, 2013, 04:01 PM
#134
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ca y'est?
kerouac:
No apostrophe, Pal!
Well I've never claimed to be really adept at French and never dreamed there was not a y'est in it - I heard this retort from my son's mama many times when he was little as I'm sure all French kids have "Ca y est! in a loud commanding voice.
Anyway this time ca y est.
kerouac:
No apostrophe, Pal!
Well I've never claimed to be really adept at French and never dreamed there was not a y'est in it - I heard this retort from my son's mama many times when he was little as I'm sure all French kids have "Ca y est! in a loud commanding voice.
Anyway this time ca y est.
May 18th, 2013, 09:06 AM
#135
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I live in France, am married to a frenchman and have three very french daughters ; 'à chacun son gout' is definitely used over here.
So I don't know who the 'serious scholars' are that dispute this, but they are not living in the same France as I am living in.
I guess all of this has nothing to do with traveling in France, but I had to reply, as I don't appreciate someone claiming something about France or the french language that, to me, is untrue. Sorry....
So I don't know who the 'serious scholars' are that dispute this, but they are not living in the same France as I am living in.
I guess all of this has nothing to do with traveling in France, but I had to reply, as I don't appreciate someone claiming something about France or the french language that, to me, is untrue. Sorry....
May 18th, 2013, 09:20 AM
#136
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I guess all of this has nothing to do with traveling in France, but I had to reply, as I don't appreciate someone claiming something about France or the french language that, to me, is untrue.>
It was my son's thoughts - he - with a honors in BAC French language and living in France during all his schooling certainly speaks and knows French as well as your kids do - so it may be a regional thing but he is as French as your sons or wife so this is a mystery to me and his mama, French through and through says she knows the phrase but nobody used it anymore - so the mystery continues but my son or his mom are not making it up and the sources I cite above say that it is mainly now an English word little used in France - where do they get that from if not true?
So really a mystery to me but I too resent folks claiming my son and his mom - both true French are some kind of weirdos speaking from weird French.
It was my son's thoughts - he - with a honors in BAC French language and living in France during all his schooling certainly speaks and knows French as well as your kids do - so it may be a regional thing but he is as French as your sons or wife so this is a mystery to me and his mama, French through and through says she knows the phrase but nobody used it anymore - so the mystery continues but my son or his mom are not making it up and the sources I cite above say that it is mainly now an English word little used in France - where do they get that from if not true?
So really a mystery to me but I too resent folks claiming my son and his mom - both true French are some kind of weirdos speaking from weird French.
May 19th, 2013, 09:12 AM
#139
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What I don't understand is how you can keep saying that this is an 'English' expression now.>
same as bon appetit is an Englisjh experssion now - does not mean it ain't a French expression as well.
Deja vue is an English expression, etc.
Some French folks obviously use it from remarks above and some have never heard of it, which is a mystery to me but as the scholarly links I gave above say it is not commonly used in France and they cite 3 similar expressions that are more in use in France.
I think it is getting to be an archaic French expression but yes it is a French term for sure - same as 'c'est la vie, another expression now part of the English vernacular - same as bon voyage.
BTW it is impossible to prove a negative - not just hard.
same as bon appetit is an Englisjh experssion now - does not mean it ain't a French expression as well.
Deja vue is an English expression, etc.
Some French folks obviously use it from remarks above and some have never heard of it, which is a mystery to me but as the scholarly links I gave above say it is not commonly used in France and they cite 3 similar expressions that are more in use in France.
I think it is getting to be an archaic French expression but yes it is a French term for sure - same as 'c'est la vie, another expression now part of the English vernacular - same as bon voyage.
BTW it is impossible to prove a negative - not just hard.
