panache / panaché

Discussion in 'French-English Vocabulary / Vocabulaire Français-Anglais' started by tblay, May 5, 2014.

  1. tblay New Member

    English
    Hi. My girlfriend and I are a little confused about something. I'm just wondering if you kind folks can help us out. Several restaurants we go to on a regular basis in the States have beverages called "_____ panaché." My girlfriend likes one of them, especially, and so she often orders a Vermouth panaché, pronouncing it, phonetically, like "pan-ah-shay." She does so because of the accent mark on the end of the word, and because we both thought this word was different than the word meaning flamboyant, "panache," without the accent mark, which we would pronounce "pan-ahsh." However, all the servers in both restaurants pronounce the word without the accent mark, as if it's the same word that means "flamboyant."

    Are these two separate words? Is the accent supposed to be ignored?

    Thanks for any help you can provide.
     
  2. Alie Babel

    Alie Babel Senior Member

    French - France
    Hi!

    Your girlfriend is right. They're two different words. The accent isn't supposed to be ignored!
     
  3. doinel

    doinel Senior Member

    Southern France
    France French
    Panaché means motley, mixed , variegated or as far as drinks are concerned it is shandy . pan-ah- shay
    Panache is different and could well mean flamboyant. pan-ash...
     
  4. Mauricet Senior Member

    near Grenoble
    French - France
    Panache is a noun (or a conjugated form of panacher, first or third person singular present tense), not an adjective. Flamboyant is an adjective (or present participle of flamboyer), except (CNRTL)
    Un panaché is usually une bière panachée, with lemonade.
     
    Last edited: May 6, 2014
  5. Keith Bradford

    Keith Bradford Senior Member

    Brittany, NW France
    English (Midlands UK)
    They're as linguistically and gastronomically aware as those who say "caff" for "café". Tell them so, I dare you.:D
     
  6. wildan1

    wildan1 Moderando ma non troppo (French-English, CC Mod)

    FR panache = EN panache (yes, we use this term in English!)
    FR panaché = EN shandy
     
  7. Philippides

    Philippides Senior Member

    Français - France
    Right. In France, you might order "un panach'" (pronounced pan-ash).
    I'm afraid that your servers are not aware of that. Mais s'ils se trompent avec panache, alors ça passe mieux... :rolleyes:
     

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