Of course there's going to be exceptions. I was well aware of that when I made my post. But you're ignoring the fact that those exceptions are generally so old that they harp back to a time when England was conquered thus the invading parties brought their own language or at the time there wasn't an English equivalent description. These days it doesn't happen so often.

Take your examples: pastries is actually an English word that has evolved from a Normandy word 'pastaierie'. And 'croissants' is a very specific term to a specific type of French pastry. So it's not all that surprising that we're going to use the French word since it is a very specific French thing (it may as well be a proper noun it's that niche)

So are you saying that in the past it was OK to use a foreign word, but today they must be translated?

And do you really think those are the only French words in English? How about RSVP? I'm sure there is a huge list if you look.

You said that English would never use a French word, and I've shown you that they do it quite often. And likewise French should not be worried about using English words for things, that's how languages work, they borrow.

> So are you saying that in the past it was OK to use a foreign word, but today they must be translated?

No. I'm saying in the past countries were invaded and the occupiers brought their own language.

> And do you really think those are the only French words in English? How about RSVP? I'm sure there is a huge list if you look.

Oh absolutely. As I said, there are exceptions. But generally what I said is the norm.

Also, RSVP isn't a word.

> You said that English would never use a French word, and I've shown you that they do it quite often.

Oh absolutely. As I said, there are exceptions. But generally what I said is the norm.

It's also worth noting that when foreign words are used in English writing, it's the convention to italicise the words, verbatim ;)

> You said that English would never use a French word, and I've shown you that they do it quite often. And likewise French should not be worried about using English words for things, that's how languages work, they borrow.

"Never" was a poor choice of words on my part. Sorry for that. However you're looking at things a bit naive if you assume that the primary way words are created is through borrowing from other languages. Yes that is a part of the evolution of language, but it's not the only part.

Let's not forget that American English and British English differ as well. For example:

    * fanny / bum,
    * pants / trousers,
    * underpants / pants,
    * sidewalk / pavement,
    * elevator / lift,
    * truck / van,
    * car trunk / car boot,
    * kindergarten / playschool,
    * restroom / toilet

and even some words pronounced the same are spelt differently:

    * center / centre,
    * standardize / standardise,
    * color / colour

You also see similar trend in other English-speaking countries as well (eg Australia refer to 'flip-flops' as 'thongs'; but in Britain, 'thongs' refer to a G-string-like garment).

So your argument about how modern terms should be static across languages doesn't even ring true amongst the different regions of the world speaking the same language.