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French uses "Moteur" because it doesn't have a word for "engine". The closest is "engin", but that means "contraption" and generally applies to the entire class
by themoonisachees 2y ago
French uses "Moteur" because it doesn't have a word for "engine". The closest is "engin", but that means "contraption" and generally applies to the entire class of "large mechanical devices that move".
Both Motor and Engine are generally translated into french as "Moteur"
- nottorp 2y agoSame in all latin languages I think. One word for both motor and engine. In spite of having a word for 'engineer'.
- micheljansen 2y agoSame in Dutch (a Germanic language). Then again, we colloquially call both a motorcycle and its engine “motor”.
- metadat 2y agoInteresting, I was surprised to learn this fact from you! "engineer" in French is ingénieure (feminine) and ingénieur (masculine). And putting "ingen" into google translate returns.. engineer. Edit: @euroderf: Lol
- euroderf 2y agoSo how do these relate to ingénue ?
- yobbo 2y agoThe word in Germanic that is used closest to "engine" would be maschine/maskin/ ... and so on. It is called motor with respect to its effect, and machine with respect to how it works. A machine is called motor to denote it is connected to wheels or propellers, but service or repairs are technically performed on the machine. This distinction can sound a little old-fashioned now.