The Subtleties of a Language

 We all have good friends who are trustworthy and dependable. I bet none of us would like to hang out with fake friends. But what if those fake friends are part of your vocabulary when learning a second language? You don’t want to have to depend on them. 

Have you ever read an email from a friend whose mother tongue differed from yours and realized that the word used meant something else? I’m talking about false cognates or “false friends,” which are words in different languages that sound or look the same but have entirely different meanings. False cognates can cause novice language learners to misuse words.

Here are a few examples of false cognates in different languages:

ITALIAN: camera = room
ENGLISH: camera = macchina fotografica

FRENCH: bras = arm
ENGLISH: bras =  brassiere

SPANISH: libreria = bookshop/bookstore
ENGLISH: library = biblioteca 

SPANISH: pronto = soon
PORTUGUESE: pronto = ready 

ITALIAN: burro = butter
SPANISH: burro = donkey 

Imagine an Italian tourist in a Spanish restaurant asking for some “burro” instead of “mantequilla.” I bet the server would be left scratching his/her head, thinking about how to bring a donkey to the table. How about a Frenchman complimenting the tone arms of his female anglophone friend, “Tu as de beaux bras.” But if her French conversational level is not so advanced, she might take it the wrong way. Or they could have a good chuckle. It all depends on the situation and who says it. 

False cognates, for instance, could be dangerous in a serious situation at the hospital or a police station. Just imagine a scenario for the following words.

SPANISH: intoxicado(a) = poisoned
ENGLISH: intoxicated = drunk 

SPANISH: molestar = annoy/bother
ENGLISH: molest = to assault/abuse someone sexually 

SPANISH: constipado(a) = to have a cold
ENGLISH: constipated = unable to defecate 

FRENCH: pain = bread
ENGLISH: pain = ache/hurt

False cognates are part of language learning. In a classroom setting, using them can be fun. For instance, children as early as preschool can be taught to use cognates because they can develop cognate awareness in their primary tongue to understand a second language.

And for adults, these false friends are a double-edged sword unless you’re ready to laugh it off while committing a faux pas. It doesn’t matter what level you are at in your target language; just be aware of these duplicitous friends, and you’ll avoid pitfalls while studying a new language.