Faux pas
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A faux pas (pronounced /ˌfoʊˈpɑː/, plural: faux pas /ˌfoʊˈpɑː(z)/) is a violation of accepted social rules (for example, standard customs or etiquette rules)[1]. Faux pas vary widely from culture to culture, and what is considered good manners in one culture can be considered a faux pas in another. The term comes originally from French, and literally means "false step"[2].
This expression is usually used in social and diplomatic contexts. The term has been in use in English for some time and is no longer italicized when written. In French, it is employed literally to describe a physical loss of balance as well as figuratively, in which case the meaning is roughly the same as in English. Other familiar synonyms include gaffe and bourde (bourde, unlike faux pas, can designate any type of mistake)[3]
[edit] Reference
- ^ http://www.ldoceonline.com/dictionary/faux-pas
- ^ http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/faux+pas
- ^ Faux Pas by Maurice Blanchot (translated by Charlotte Mandell), Stanford University Press, 2001, ISBN 0804729352, pg. xi (translators note).
[edit] See also
- Cultural diversity
- Etiquette
- Etiquette in Africa
- Etiquette in Asia
- Etiquette in Australia and New Zealand
- Etiquette in Canada and the United States
- Etiquette in Europe
- Etiquette in Latin America
- Etiquette in the Middle East
- Intercultural competence
- Worldwide etiquette
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