4 ms·
Arrears is derived from an old French word that literally just means behind. I've seen it used in English with that meaning in ways that are more generic than
by CydeWeys 6y ago
Arrears is derived from an old French word that literally just means behind. I've seen it used in English with that meaning in ways that are more generic than specifically referring to payments.
- te_chris 6y agoIt's very common in English in accounting.
- SilasX 6y agoI made another comment and just updated it, that delves a lot deeper into this topic than it really deserves, but here you go: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=23326438 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=23326438
- rdiddly 6y agoYep, e.g. la porte en arrière = the back door. Handy that the English word has "rear" right there in it. And in case this comment doesn't sound snickery/sexual enough yet, there's also derrière (butt or rear end).
- idoubtit 6y agoPlease excuse me as I'll be a tad fussy. You're welcome to pay me back in my own coin with my approximative English. The right expression is la porte arrière (not "en arrière"), which usually means the back door of a vehicle. Some will more correctly say la portière arrière. It will rarely endorse the other meaning of "back door". Out of context, absolutely no one would see anything sexual in this expression. On the other hand, la porte de derrière will point to the door which is on the back side, for instance the back door of a house. In some contexts, it may convey some sexual innuendo.
- mykneehurts 6y agoInteresting! I would say “la porte de derrière" and never heard "la porte en arrière". Can I ask where you’re from?
- simias 6y agoI'd personally say "la porte arrière" for the rear door of a car but "la porte de derrière" for the rear door of a house for instance. I think the distinction is that on a car both sets of doors are side-by-side whereas in a house they're in opposition to one-another. That's my France's French take at least.
- fbourque 6y ago"la porte en arriere" or "la porte d'en arriere" sounds French-Canadian.
- rdiddly 6y agoWell how about that - today I learned people outside Canada don't say it the same way!
- irrational 6y agoHold on, does the "de" in derrière mean "the" as in "the rear"?
- electricviolet 6y agoNo, "de" is a preposition -- "of the rear"
- idoubtit 6y ago"in arrears" is derived from "en arrière" which is still used in modern French. Like most French words, it evolved from Latin: ad retro. In modern French, it's used both literally and figuratively. A common folk song goes "3 pas en arrière…" (3 steps backward). Similarly, "arriérés" could mean "people with retrograde mindsets", or "arrears", i.e. rent or taxes that should have already been paid. I suppose the English language merged "arriérés" and "arrière" into a single word.