• @pedz@lemmy.ca
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    10 months ago

    As another comment points out, there is a mistake with the second sentence.

    The word combination works but it does not contradict the first negation.

    Ceci n’est pas une pipe = This is not a pipe

    C’est une pipe = It’s a pipe

    What you want is to simply remove the negative “n’ + pas”.

    Ceci est une pipe = This is a pipe

    With other examples…

    Ceci est un garçon = This is a boy

    Ceci n’est pas un garçon = This is not a boy

    C’est une fille = It’s a girl

    Ceci est une fille = This is a girl

    Ceci n’est pas une fille = This is not a girl

    Ceci est un commentaire = This is a comment

    Ceci n’est pas un commentaire = This is not a comment

    C’est simple n’est-ce pas? = It’s simple is it not?

    • @Asafum@feddit.nl
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      210 months ago

      Wait wait wait… So I only know a small amount of French and mostly from media I’ve watched, so unless I’m mixing words here when I’ve heard “garçon” (pronounced garsonne?) in a restaurant, they’re literally calling the waiter “boy?”

      • Hazmatastic
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        310 months ago

        You are correct. This is mentioned in the opening scene of Pulp Fiction by the way.

        • @Asafum@feddit.nl
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          210 months ago

          Thanks! It’s been such a long time since I watched that, looks like I need to watch it again lol

      • @pedz@lemmy.ca
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        10 months ago

        Indeed. Never gave a second thought to the word but apparently it’s the name of a young male servant. The pronunciation ends with a nasal vowel as there is no trailing “e” at the end. In IPA that’s /ɡaʁ.sɔ̃/. If you say /ɡaʁ.ɔn/ it makes it sound female.

        Un patron = male owner

        Une patronne = female owner