IAtionary: DiFrenchiate

Di-French-i-ate [dih-FRENCH-ee-eyt] v.

1. To distinguish one language from another, especially French from any other language; Bonjour! I'm sorry, I don't diFrenchiate well, was that French or Hindi?

Language of origin: French to Denglisch

Frau Boyle, my German teacher, as I recently learned, also speaks French. In fact, she is qualified to teach it. I can't get far past bonjour, but Amisha, who is also in my German class, can: she is another Ab Initio student, and her other language class is French. It was Amisha who told me that Frau Boyle spoke French. I didn't believe her at first; I mean, we already have a French teacher with a German last name, a German teacher from Scotland, and an English teacher who speaks Vietnamese. I asked Frau Boyle if she spoke French, and she said oui, then forgot that I took Spanish and continued in French for a minute or two. Luckily, Amisha was there to help me out. Rather quickly, Frau Boyle realized that she should have been speaking French to Amisha, and she then did just that. They had a conversation in French, then Frau Boyle went back to the front of the room and sat down. Just as Amisha was turning around to talk to me, her mind already back in English mode, Frau Boyle called out one more thing in French. Amisha responded, then continued talking to me. Soon, she commented that it had taken her a while to realize that that last comment had even been in French: she had understood it and come up with something to say in French rather automatically, not internalizing the language used. The way she put it however was, "I didn't differentiate." Maybe it was becaue the topic of French was still on my mind, but I swear she said, "I didn't diFrenchiate." And a new word was born.