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Originally posted by Moiraine:
So basically what you are saying is that "freedom" would translate as "liberté", and "liberty" would translate more or less as "libération" ? [img]smile.gif[/img]
As for "to oblige" - the word seems closer to the 'old French' verb "obliger" - for example, the polite formula to say "I am in your debt" was "Je suis votre obligé", but it is not in use anymore. Though in the book I read, "to oblige" was closer to "to compel" - it was about a team saying they were obliged to send their report to their boss.
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overview.
Many words have been brought back into the english language in more recent say 200/300 years from their french , germanic or latin origin. and lay alongside the words that where brought to england by the Angles, saxons, Brits and Celts thousands of years ago and that where manipulated over time by local dialect and poor spelling. Thus you have so many words for the same thing.
oblige is where you feel you have to return say a favour because you would feel bad if you did not. compel means to do something against your better wishes or feelings. The next step in progression would be forced.
And how come you spell better than me
soooo jelous (see)
