Comments on: Between Us French http://www.brendonwilson.com/blog/2004/11/02/between-us-french/ The personal web site of Brendon J. Wilson, a software developer, technologist, and entrepreneur living in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Mon, 06 Sep 2010 10:19:44 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Jeff Clavier http://www.brendonwilson.com/blog/2004/11/02/between-us-french/comment-page-1/#comment-276 Jeff Clavier Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.brendonwilson.com/blog/?p=200#comment-276 Salut Cousin (though to be factually correct, we French called "Cousins" people from Quebec, not BC - but glad to make the extension), Entrepreneur refers in general to the head of a company, and can either mean: - contractor (plumber, electrician, painter, etc.). As you indicated, we actually use the term "entreprise du batiment" or "entrepreneur du batiment" to cover all types of building contractors. - founder/head of a startup business. I would venture that in our generation, entrepreneur tend to refer more to the latter category. So saying that we (French) don't have a word for entrepreneur is... incorrect. Good to meet you, albeit briefly, last Saturday. Salut Cousin (though to be factually correct, we French called “Cousins” people from Quebec, not BC – but glad to make the extension),

Entrepreneur refers in general to the head of a company, and can either mean:
- contractor (plumber, electrician, painter, etc.). As you indicated, we actually use the term “entreprise du batiment” or “entrepreneur du batiment” to cover all types of building contractors.
- founder/head of a startup business.

I would venture that in our generation, entrepreneur tend to refer more to the latter category. So saying that we (French) don’t have a word for entrepreneur is… incorrect.

Good to meet you, albeit briefly, last Saturday.

]]> By: Brendon J. Wilson http://www.brendonwilson.com/blog/2004/11/02/between-us-french/comment-page-1/#comment-277 Brendon J. Wilson Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.brendonwilson.com/blog/?p=200#comment-277 Salut Jeff! Oh, thank God! I was worried that Bush might have, however erroreously, actually made an accurate statement. At first it seems so ludicrous - but then, none of the definitions seemed to have the flair I was seeking. Good to hear the word "entrepreneur" hasn't betrayed its French roots and lost something in the back and worth translation. Salut Jeff!

Oh, thank God! I was worried that Bush might have, however erroreously, actually made an accurate statement. At first it seems so ludicrous – but then, none of the definitions seemed to have the flair I was seeking.

Good to hear the word “entrepreneur” hasn’t betrayed its French roots and lost something in the back and worth translation.

]]> By: anon http://www.brendonwilson.com/blog/2004/11/02/between-us-french/comment-page-1/#comment-278 anon Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.brendonwilson.com/blog/?p=200#comment-278 Claim: President George W. Bush proclaimed, "The problem with the French is that they don't have a word for entrepreneur." Status: False. http://www.snopes.com/quotes/bush.htm Claim: President George W. Bush proclaimed, “The problem with the French is that they don’t have a word for entrepreneur.”
Status: False.

http://www.snopes.com/quotes/bush.htm

]]> By: Brendon J. Wilson http://www.brendonwilson.com/blog/2004/11/02/between-us-french/comment-page-1/#comment-279 Brendon J. Wilson Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.brendonwilson.com/blog/?p=200#comment-279 Yeah - I suspected the story to be false. Alas, Bush isn't be a bottomless pit of language-related humor. C'est la vie! Yeah – I suspected the story to be false. Alas, Bush isn’t be a bottomless pit of language-related humor. C’est la vie!

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