Pride and Prejudice — Foreign and French Expressions Glossary

A collection, classification, and translation guide to every non-English expression in the novel, chiefly French. In Regency English, the use of French marks education, class, and refinement. This guide provides criteria for choosing between transliteration and translation.

1. The Social Meaning of French Usage

Historical Context (The 1810s)

Britain is fighting the Napoleonic Wars (1803–1815), yet French culture remains the model for the upper classes.
French is an essential language for an educated woman, as implied by Darcy’s definition of an “accomplished woman” in Ch.8.
Georgiana may be presumed to study French.
Italian also appears through music and opera.

Patterns of Usage in the Novel

User	Frequency	Meaning
Narrator	Frequent	Refinement + subtle expression
Darcy	Occasional	Unforced education
Miss Bingley	Frequent	Fashionable display
Collins	Never	Lack of cultivation
Elizabeth	Occasional	Natural ease
Mrs. Bennet	Never	Ignorance

2. Complete List of French Expressions Appearing in the Novel

A. Emotion and Attitude

1. hauteur (Arrogance, Haughtiness)

Item	Details
Pronunciation	[oh-TUR] in French, or an anglicized pronunciation
Location	Ch.18 ball—“A deeper shade of hauteur overspread his features”
Original Styling	Italicized for emphasis
Meaning	A haughty bearing; more physical and facial than simple pride
Translation	“arrogance” / “haughtiness”; preserving the italics is recommended
Can English Replace It?	Yes, with “haughtiness,” but the deliberate French supplies refinement

2. ennui (Weariness, Boredom)

Item	Details
Pronunciation	[ahn-WEE]
Meaning	Profound weariness; more existential than simple boredom
Rarely Used Directly	Frequently present as an atmosphere
Translation	“ennui” / “weariness” / “boredom”

3. tête-à-tête (A Private Conversation, Face to Face)

Item	Details
Pronunciation	[tet-ah-TET]
Location	Ch.32 at Hunsford—Darcy and Elizabeth alone; Ch.15, Collins and Mrs. Bennet
Meaning	A private conversation between two people
Translation	“private conversation” / “conversation alone” / the original “tête-à-tête”
Implication	Not a mere conversation; it implies intimacy or secrecy

B. Food and Cookery

4. ragout (A French Stew)

Item	Details
Pronunciation	[ra-GOO]
Location	Ch.8—Mr. Hurst likes ragout, while Elizabeth prefers a plain dish
Meaning	A French meat stew
Translation	“ragout” / “ragout stew”; transliteration plus a brief explanation
Class Signal	A marker of upper-class food culture

C. Games

5. vingt-un (Twenty-One, A Card Game)

Item	Details
Pronunciation	[vant-UHN], with period English variation
Location	Ch.6—liked by Bingley and Jane
Meaning	A precursor of modern blackjack
Translation	“vingt-un (twenty-one)” / “the game of twenty-one”

6. piquet

Item	Details
Pronunciation	[pee-KET]
Location	Ch.10—played by Bingley and Mr. Hurst
Meaning	A strategic card game for two players
Translation	“piquet”; retain the name

7. quadrille (A Card Game + A Dance)

Item	Details
Pronunciation	[kwa-DRIL]
Location	Chs.16 and 19 in the sense of a card game; Ch.18 in the sense of a dance
Meaning	(1) A four-player card game; (2) a formal dance for four couples
Translation	“quadrille”; specify game or dance according to context

8. loo

Item	Details
Pronunciation	[LOO]
Location	Ch.8—cards in the Netherfield drawing room
Meaning	A high-stakes gambling game, derived from the French lanterloo
Translation	“loo”; retain the name

D. Music and Art

9. air (A Tune)

Item	Details
Location	Ch.6, “Scotch and Irish airs”; Ch.10, “Italian songs... a lively Scotch air”
Meaning	A short tune or melody
Translation	“tune” / “song” / “air”

E. Social Action

10. éclat (Brilliance, Splendor)

Item	Details
Pronunciation	[ay-KLAH]
Location	Elizabeth at the Ch.18 ball—“be handed down to posterity with all the éclat of a proverb”
Original Styling	Italicized
Meaning	Brilliant effect, splendor
Translation	“brilliance” / “splendid effect”
Implication	Elizabeth’s wit: the French adds refinement + self-mockery

11. proxy (Representation, Delegation)—Latin in Origin, via French

Item	Details
Location	Ch.17—“very shoe-roses for Netherfield were got by proxy”
Meaning	Through a representative
Translation	“by proxy” / “through a representative”

F. Manners and Formality

12. savoir-faire (Tact, Social Skill)—Not Used Directly, but Implied

13. savoir-vivre (Knowledge of Good Manners)—Implied

These two words rarely appear directly, but their absence is implied in descriptions of Collins.

14. complaisance (Obliging Goodwill)—Danger: Not Complacency!

Item	Details
Pronunciation	[kuhm-PLAY-zuhns]
Location	Ch.6—“thinking of her with some complaisance”
Meaning	A disposition to please another person
Confusion	“complacency” (self-satisfaction) ≠ “complaisance” (obliging goodwill)
Translation	“goodwill” / “an obliging disposition”

15. gallant / gallantry (Courtesy, Respect Toward Women)

Item	Details
Location	Ch.6—Darcy praises Elizabeth’s refusal as “gallantry”
Meaning	Courtesy shown toward women
Translation	“courtesy” / “gentlemanly manners”

16. adieu (Farewell)

Item	Details
Pronunciation	[uh-DYOO]
Location	Elizabeth’s Lakes exclamation in Ch.27—“Adieu to disappointment and spleen”
Meaning	A final farewell, stronger than au revoir
Translation	“farewell!” / “adieu!”
Implication	An impassioned expression of Elizabeth’s excitement

17. finesse (Subtlety, Artfulness)—Used by Implication

G. Fashion and Appearance

18. toilette (Dressing, Grooming)

Item	Details
Pronunciation	[twah-LET]
Location	Ch.29—“When the ladies were separating for the toilette”
Meaning	Changing clothes and dressing the hair before dinner
Translation	“dressing” / “grooming”

19. coiffure (Hairstyle)—Implied

20. fête (Festival, Grand Gathering)—Implied

H. Architecture and Space

21. boudoir (A Woman’s Private Sitting Room)—Implied

22. antechamber (A Waiting Room)

Item	Details
Location	Ch.29 at Rosings—“they followed the servants through an antechamber”
Meaning	A waiting space before the principal drawing room
Translation	“antechamber” / “waiting room”

I. Other Formal Expressions

23. en famille (Within the Family)—Implied

24. petite phaeton ★—Ch.30, A Low Phaeton

25. Boulanger (The Final Dance at a Ball)

Item	Details
Pronunciation	[boo-lahn-ZHAY]
Location	Mrs. Bennet in Ch.3—“the two fifth with Jane again, and the two sixth with Lizzy, and the Boulanger”
Original Styling	Italicized
Meaning	The final communal dance at an eighteenth- or nineteenth-century English ball
Translation	“Boulanger”; retain the name, with a note recommended

26. par excellence (Pre-eminently)—Implied

27. carte blanche (Blank Authority)—Implied

28. bon mot (A Witty Remark)—Applicable to Elizabeth’s Speech, Though Rarely Used Directly by the Narrator

J. Religion and Literature (Latin + Greek)

29. olive branch (Biblical—A Symbol of Peace or Descendants)

Item	Details
Location	Collins’s letter in Ch.13 (reconciliation); Collins’s letter in Ch.57 (descendants)
Meaning	(1) A gesture of peace; (2) offspring
Translation	The same expression has different meanings; translate according to context

30. St. Michaelmas (The Feast of St. Michael; Latin–Greek)

31. per annum (Yearly; Latin)

Item	Details
Location	Wickham in Ch.16—“ten thousand per annum”
Meaning	Per year
Translation	“annually” / “a year”

32. postscript (P.S.; Latin)

Item	Details
Location	Mrs. Bennet’s letter in Ch.7; Jane’s letter in Ch.46
Meaning	A postscript
Translation	“postscript” / “P.S.”

3. Character Analysis Through Foreign-Language Usage

Darcy—Unforced Cultivation

Pattern of Use:
- Precise in formal letters
- Appropriate even in ordinary conversation
- Never ostentatious
- Capable of French, Latin, and classical quotation

In Translation:
- Natural diction + appropriate retention of foreign words
- Preserve refinement

Miss Bingley—Fashionable Display

Pattern of Use:
- Frequent
- Pronunciation is accurate, but chosen for effect
- Prefers “fashionable” words

In Translation:
- Preserve the foreign words with a slight air of affectation
- Additional expressions such as “à la mode” may be appropriate

Mr. Collins—A Lack of Cultivation

Pattern of Use:
- Almost never uses foreign words
- Awkward enough even in English
- Uses Latin only in a religious context

In Translation:
- Avoid foreign words; compensate with excessive formal diction
- Phrases equivalent to “I dare flatter myself” and “presumptuous though it may be”

Lydia—Ignorance

Pattern of Use:
- No foreign expressions
- Even a word such as “Boulanger” is pronounced by her mother instead

In Translation:
- Use awkward pronunciation or avoid the foreign word
- Paraphrase it as “that last dance at the ball”

Elizabeth—Wit + Self-Mockery

Pattern of Use:
- Uses “éclat,” “adieu,” and similar words in self-mockery
- Uses them for humor, not display

In Translation:
- Retain the foreign word + a lightly distanced tone
- Give exclamations such as “Farewell!” a touch of exaggeration

4. Translation Decision Matrix

Criteria for Transliteration vs. Translation

[Transliteration Recommended]
- Proper nouns: places, people, games, and dances
- Words emphasized in italics: hauteur, éclat
- No exact equivalent exists in the target language
- Period refinement needs to be preserved

[Translation Recommended]
- Ordinary narrative terms: per annum → annually
- A natural equivalent exists in the target language
- The foreign word would harm readability

[Combined Method]
- At first occurrence, translate and add the transliteration in parentheses
- Use only the transliteration thereafter
- Alternatively, explain it in a note at first occurrence

Recommended Standard Decisions

Original	Recommended Rendering	Reason
hauteur	arrogance (hauteur)	Preserves the italic emphasis
ennui	ennui / weariness	Natural target-language equivalent may be used
tête-à-tête	private conversation / tête-à-tête	Translate + retain at first occurrence
ragout	ragout	Retain the food name
vingt-un	vingt-un (twenty-one)	Retain + add the number
piquet	piquet	Retain the game name
quadrille	quadrille	Retain the game/dance name
loo	loo	Retain the game name
éclat	brilliance (éclat)	Translate + preserve the original
adieu	farewell! / adieu!	Preserve the emotional intensity
toilette	dressing	Translate
antechamber	waiting room	Translate
Boulanger	Boulanger	Retain the dance name
per annum	annually	Translate
postscript	postscript / P.S.	Translate
olive branch	gesture of peace / offspring	Translate according to context

5. Consistency in Handling Foreign Words in Translation

Standards for the Whole Work

[Principle 1: Consistency]
- Render the same foreign word in the same way throughout one work

[Principle 2: Notes Where Necessary]
- At first occurrence, explain the meaning and cultural implication
- Thereafter, use only the transliteration or translation

[Principle 3: Period Accuracy]
- Do not use loanwords that entered the target language much later
- Replace modern terms such as “style” with a period-appropriate “form” or “manner”

[Principle 4: Refinement]
- A foreign word is a marker of refinement
- Use it only where it sounds natural
- Use more for Miss Bingley and less for Collins

6. Beyond French—Latin, Italian, and Greek

Latin (A Marker of Learning)

per annum (yearly)
post script (postscript)
ad libitum (at will)
carte blanche (blank authority)
modus operandi (method of operation)

These imply the education of Darcy and Mr. Bennet.

Italian (A Marker of Musical Education)

aria
duet—naturalized in English
forte / piano—musical directions
soprano / alto / tenor / bass

Miss Bingley’s “Italian songs” in Ch.10 mark musical cultivation.

Greek (Myth and Philosophy)

olive branch—indirectly, a Greek symbol of peace
Hermitage—a hermit’s dwelling, with a Greek root

7. Standardizing Foreign-Word Spellings for Korean Publication

Standards Based on Korean Loanword Orthography

Original	Recommended Korean Form (Romanized)	Note
Mr. Darcy	Da-a-si	Not the shorter “Da-si”
Pemberley	Pembeolli	Not “Pemberi”
Netherfield	Nedeopildeu
Hertfordshire	Heoteupeodeusyeo / Hateupeodeusyeo	Both are possible
Derbyshire	Deobisyeo
Grosvenor	Geuroseubeuneo / Geurobeuneo	Both are possible
Gracechurch	Geureiseucheochi
Cheapside	Chipsaideu
St. James’s	Seinteu Jeimseu
Brighton	Beuraiton
Lambton	Raemteun / Raemton
Ramsgate	Raemseugeiteu
Gretna Green	Geureteuna Geurin
Boulanger	Bullangje
Bingley	Bingni
Wickham	Wikeom
Fitzwilliam	Picheuwillieom
Bennet	Benet	Not “Benit”

Principles of Consistency

Use one spelling consistently within a single work.
Render personal names with natural Korean pronunciation.
Keep place names close to their English pronunciation.
For meaningful words such as place names, use transliteration + a note.

8. Pronouncing Foreign Words on Screen and Stage

Guide for Actors and Voice Performers

[French]
- Use an anglicized British pronunciation, modeled on British actors
- Overly exact French pronunciation sounds unnatural
- Example: “hauteur” in an English pronunciation rather than fully French [oh-TUR]

[Latin]
- Use British school pronunciation: Etonian Latin
- “per annum” = [per AN-um]

[Italian]
- Give musical terms their correct Italian pronunciation
- Miss Bingley’s “Italian songs” should be genuine Italian pieces

9. Period Foreign Words vs. Modern Foreign Words

Foreign Words That Existed in the Novel’s Period

All the words listed above

Foreign Words That Did Not Yet Exist in This Usage (Forbidden)

Word	Date of Entry	Alternative
chic	1850s+	“fashionable”
restaurant	1820s+ in Britain	“eating-house”
garage	Twentieth century	Another carriage-related term
chauffeur	Twentieth century	“coachman”
café	Late nineteenth century	“coffee-house”
menu	Late nineteenth century in English	“list of dishes”
salon	Late nineteenth century in English	“drawing-room”
boutique	Twentieth century	“shop”
débutante	Late nineteenth century	“young lady coming out”
chaperone	Late eighteenth century; usable	—

Modern Loanwords That Also Create Anachronism in Korean

Terms equivalent to “stress,” “cool,” “mindset,” and “table” must never be used in their modern loanword forms.

10. Conclusion: Five Principles for Translating Foreign Words

Preserve italics as italics—emphasize what the original emphasizes.
Transliteration + a note is often best—explain the meaning at first occurrence, then retain the term.
Preserve differences between characters—Miss Bingley uses foreign words often; Collins does not.
Use only period foreign words—exclude expressions that entered after the nineteenth century.
Maintain consistency—render the same word the same way throughout one work.