« Sh! » in English, but « chut! » in French. Expressions certainly do not simply translate from one language to another, they are also transformed. Here’s a Speak Easy collection of « sh » words in English (many of the these English words are of Yiddish origin and they are fun to say outloud due to their rather odd combination of sounds), up to you to find the French equivalents in the list. In French the Sh and sch sound are not very much used. The English section of my Harrap’s has 8 pages of words beginning with these letters whereas the corresponding French section has just 25 entries. Those 25 French words are frequently derived from English: schéma, schématique, schisme, schiste, schizophrène, schlinguer, schnaps, schnock, schuss, shaker, shakespearien, shampooing, shampoiner, shampouineur, shérif, shetland, shiatsu, shinto, shit, shoot, shooter, shopping, short, show and show-business.
Enjoy the this puzzle of expressions and prick up your ears to the colorful expressions of the French language pour descendre tout schuss.
PS: Bill & Rosa’s Book Room offers books of Speak Easy Puzzles or check them out online.
More than 100 Speak Easy puzzles have been collected in 3 volumes.
Visit the FUSAC boutique to buy your copy of the Speak Easy Puzzle Book.