The Present Builds Upon the Past :: history

The Present Builds Upon the Past The world is far from perfect. However, through the years, it has improved in many ways. If I went back in time and changed the tiniest thing in history, it is possible for my life to be completely different today. If you don't believe me, read on because I've got hard proof. It's depressing to know there was a time when "blacks" and "whites" were seperated simply because of the color of their skin. We have moved forward, then stumbed backwards, but slowly we started building and here we are year 2001, where everyone, despite your race, have equal rights. I realize pejudice is still alive today, but you have to admit, things have improved. During the late 1800's "Jim Crow" laws or "Black Codes" were made offical. This law legally seperated "blacks" and "whites" in every day life. It was ridiculous, immature, and just flat out unreasonable. They used seperate public waiting rooms, restaurants, theaters, public parks, schools, hospitals, just to name the basics. We have every single abolitionists, civil rights activists, and all the other freedom-fighters who stuck up for their rights. You wouldn't believe how much one person can accomplish. It wasn't too long ago when women were denied some of the rights that men had, such as voting. People believed that women were better fit cooking, cleaning and taking care of the children at home, rather than going out to earn money. They also believed that men had a higher ability of learning than women, which was why their education was limited. In order to get all the rights women have today, it took much time, effort, and most of all, courage. Many brave women organized protests demanding for equal rights. It was a slow process but every little effort added up, and today, women can even run for President of the United States. Who knows? Many if it weren't for them, I wouldn't be writing this report, or be able to write at all. A more recent example in which we can more personally relate to, is the World Trade Center tragedy. The fact that we needed a tradegy to bring America togeather is sad, but at least we are here for each other when we really need each other. I know living thirteen years isn't much at all, but in that time, I have never seen America more united than in the last few weeks.

Analysis of the Twelfth Planet

The Myth of a 12th Planet: A Brief Analysis of Cylinder Seal VA 243 Michael S. Heiser Ph. D. candidate, Hebrew Bible and Ancient Semitic Languages University of Wisconsin-Madison Introduction Readers of Zecharia Sitchin’s books, particularly The 12th Planet, will recognize the above seal, VA 243 (so named because it is number 243 in the collection of the Vorderasiatische Museum in Berlin). This seal is the centerpiece of Sitchin’s theory that the Sumerians had advanced astronomical knowledge of the planetary bodies in our solar system.This knowledge was allegedly given to the Sumerians by extraterrestrials, whom Sitchin identifies as the Anunnaki gods of Sumero-Mesopotamian mythology. In the upper left-hand corner of the seal, Sitchin argues, one sees the sun surrounded by eleven globes. Since ancient peoples (including the Sumerians according to Sitchin) held the sun and moon to be â€Å"planets,† these eleven globes plus the sun add up to twelve planets. Of cou rse, since we now know of nine planets plus our sun and moon, part of Sitchin’s argument is that the Sumerians knew of an extra planet beyond Pluto.This extra planet is considered by Sitchin to be Nibiru, an astronomical body mentioned in Mesopotamian texts. Sitchin’s works detail his contention that Nibiru passes through our solar system every 3600 years, and so some believers in Sitchin’s theory contend that Nibiru will return soon. Some followers of Sitchin’s ideas also refer to Nibiru as â€Å"Planet X†. Is Sitchin correct – in whole or in part? Is Nibiru a 12th planet that will soon return? Does VA243 prove his thesis? Unfortunately for Sitchin and his followers, the answer to each of these questions is no. This paper will focus on the heart of his theory, VA243.Nibiru is the subject of another paper on my website. Method and Approach The study of cylinder seals is actually a very specialized sub-discipline within Sumerology and Assyrio logy. a It is possible to determine, through the efforts of cylinder seal specialists of the recent past and current experts, to decisively say that Sitchin’s interpretation of this seal is deeply flawed and lacks scholarly merit. In short, his theory is false and is unsupported by the seal itself. In the discussion that follows, I will demonstrate that VA243 in no way supports Sitchin’s ideas.My reasons / lines of argument for this are: 1) The inscription on the seal (left hand and right hand sides – which are not discussed by Sitchin) says nothing about planets or any element of astronomy. Rather than offering an independent translation, I will defer to authorities on Sumerian seal inscriptions in this regard to avoid any charge of bias. 2) The alleged â€Å"sun† symbol on the seal is not the sun. We know this because it does not conform to the consistent depiction of the sun in hundreds of other cylinder seals and examples of Sumero-Mesopotamian artwor k.I will describe the typical depiction (determined with certainty because it appears with texts about the sun god [Shamash Akkadian, known as Utu in Sumerian]) and provide image examples. Sources are provided for readers to check for themselves. The â€Å"sun† symbol is actually a star (which in Mesopotamian art could have six or, more commonly, eight points). Lest the modern reader retort that â€Å"well, the sun is a star,† I offer several images where the star symbol and the sun symbol (which again, is not that in VA243) are side-by-side and distinct from one another.The Sumerians and Mesopotamians distinguished the sun from stars by using different symbols – and associating each symbol with the sun god and other gods, respectively. There is simply no ancient Sumero-Akkadian evidence to support Sitchin’s identification. 3) If the â€Å"sun† is not the sun, then what are the dots? The dots are also stars, as is best illustrated by the Sumerian-M esopotamian depiction of the Pleaides (seven dots together with reasonable astronomical accuracy since they are visible to the naked eye). b The Pleaides are actually one of the most frequently depicted astronomical features in SumeroMesopotamian art.As Sitchin points out (and this is corroborated by actual scholars in the field – it’s common knowledge), stars were associated with or considered to be heavenly beings – gods. In Sumero-Mesopotamian artwork, a star represents either a god or an astronomical body. The same can be said of the sun – it can either reference the literal sun or the sun god. There are three possibilities as to what VA243 is depicting: (A) It is singling out a deity or special star and associating it with other stars in some sort of zodiacal representation. I don’t consider this likely because there are other far clearer representations of zodiacal constellations.Unless there are clear zodiacal connotations, a star was symbol ic of a deity, which brings us to the second option. (B) More probable is the idea that the central star stands for a deity that has some association with fertility (as in crops) since the inscription describes an offering made by a worshipper (who is named) to a seated god who is associated in the seal with fertile harvest. Since there are two other figures in the seal in addition to the seated god, and one is the offerer, the remaining figure is likely a deity also associated with the offering. In favor of this possibility are the â€Å"implements† aAn excellent general introduction is Dominique Collon, Cylinder Seals. I am not saying the star is depicted amid the Pleiades, only that the artistic depiction of the Pleiades provides an excellent example of â€Å"dots† = stars. The Pleiadean depiction is always seven dots/stars. b shown on the seal with respect to these two figures facing the seated god and the figure’s headdress. Also in its favor is the fact th at there are literally hundreds of such â€Å"offering seals,† and many have a star in upper proximity to the figures’ heads, signifying the figure is a deity (see the example). C) Since the star is surrounded by eleven other stars (dots), the artistic depiction could stand for the lead god of the Mesopotamian divine council and its other eleven (upper tier) members. Recall that (as Sitchin again points out) the Mesopotamian council had 12 members. I have noted before that the 12 member council isn’t always consistent in Mesopotamian religion (at times eight gods are considered the council), but 12 is the more prevalent number. This thesis is attractive, but I can’t say there is much to commend it over option B.The reader might be thinking at this point, â€Å"Well, isn’t the sun god the leader of the pantheon – so if this symbology points to the divine council the center symbol could still be the sun? † This would be an erroneous lin e of thought since in SumeroMesopotamian religion the sun god is NOT the high god; the high god is Anu (later, Marduk), not Shamash. These options are admittedly subjective, but one thing is certain – the â€Å"sun† symbol does not conform to the abundantly frequent symbol for the sun in SumeroMesopotamian art. We are not dealing with a depiction of the solar system.Astronomer Tom van Flandern pointed this out years ago anyway, since the sizes of the â€Å"planets† around the alleged sun do not conform to the correct sizes of the planets and there distances from the pseudo-sun are not depicted in such a way as to depict elliptical (or at least varying) orbits. The link to van Flandern’s critique is on my website. 4) There is not a single text in the entire corpus of Sumerian or Mesopotamian tablets in the world that tells us the Sumerians (or later inhabitants of Mesopotamia) knew there were more than five planets.This is quite a claim, but is demonstrabl e through the work of scholars who specialize in cuneiform astronomy. Below I list all the major works on cuneiform astronomy (catalogues of texts, dissertations / books) and invite readers to check them out of a library and look for themselves. Literally every cuneiform text that has any astronomical comment (even with respect to astrology and omens) has been translated, catalogued, indexed, and discussed in the available academic literature.The tablets are often quite detailed, even discussing mathematical calculations of the appearance of planetary bodies in the sky, on the horizon, and in relation to other stars. The field is by no means new, and is considerably developed. All of the above facets of the discussion are now offered in more detail with bibliography. I. The Inscriptions on VA 243 VA243 has three lines of text (â€Å"line 1† is actually repeated on both sides of the seal):The seal is transliterated (the Sumero-Akkadian signs in English letters) and translated in the principal publication of the Berlin Vorderasiatische Museum’s publication of its seal collection, Vorderasiatische Rollsiegel (â€Å"West Asian Cylinder Seals†; 1940) by Mesopotamian scholar Anton Moortgat on page 101. This book is in German, so I offer the German and an English translation: Line 1 = dub-si-ga â€Å"Dubsiga† [a personal name of an apparently powerful personc] Line 2 = ili-il-la-at â€Å"Ili-illat† [another personal name, this time of the seal’s owner] â€Å"dein Knecht† [German for â€Å"your servant†d] Line 3 = ir3-suSo the full (rather boring) inscription of VA243 reads: â€Å"Dubsiga, Ili-illat, your/his servant. † Nothing in the inscription suggests anything remotely to do with astronomy or planets. In an email correspondence with Dr. Rudi Mayr, whose dissertation was on cylinder seals, Dr. Mayr commented on the inscriptions and the seal [and I interject a few comments in blue]: â€Å"The seated fig ure is a god; the ‘flounced’ garment is normal for deities (though kings start wearing them a little later); deities also have the distinctive headdress. Most scholars call it a ‘horned’ headdress, but I’ve always thought it looked more like flames than horns.Ancient texts often refer to deities having a bright, shining, brilliant aspect [this is true across the ancient near east – witness the â€Å"shining one† terminology I discuss in The Facade and in several papers on my website]; they don’t mention horns . . . The introducing figure also has the ‘horns’ of divinity† [this is a strong contextual argument that the symbol – again, it’s not the â€Å"sun† – to the upper left of the introducing figure is a star. Precisely because they SHINE, stars were associated with deities. Shamash, the sun god, had his own symbol of the sun.See below for what it looked like]. c Personal email com munication on Dubsiga with Dr. Rudi Mayr, whose dissertation was on cylinder seals. Dr. Mayr is also the source of the comment on the second line, which conforms to typical cylinder seal patterns. d Dr. Mayr noted to me in an email that the third line might also read â€Å"his servant†, which was his preference. II. The â€Å"Sun† Symbol This is perhaps the biggest problem with Sitchin’s interpretation of VA243 signifying the solar system. Simply put, if the central symbol in his solar system isn’t the sun, the interpretation collapses completely.There’s actually a good deal of evidence to demonstrate decisively that Sitchin is wrong here. Toward offering that evidence, we’ll first introduce a few general comments on Sumero-Akkadian symbols and move to the specifics. A. General Comments Like all ancient religions, Sumero-Mesopotamian religion had a great concern with heavenly bodies that could be observed with the naked eye. In particular, t he sun, moon, and Venus were important focus points because of their ease of visibility, and each was artistically symbolized and stood for a deity.In Sumer-Mesopotamian religion, the sun god symbology was very clear: Sun god = Shamash (Utu in the Sumerian languagee) The symbol of the sun god in Sumero-Mesopotamian religion was a central circle with four extended â€Å"arms† with wavy lines in between each â€Å"arm† (most common), or a circle with only wavy lines. The entire symbol was itself nearly always [I don’t know any exceptions, but there may be one – just being cautious here] inside a circle, as below:f The reader should note immediately that this is NOT the symbol on VA243.VA 243’s â€Å"pseudo-sun† lacks the wavy lines and is not set inside a circle. This sun symbol is ubiquitous in Sumero-Mesopotamian religious artwork. The other common symbol for the sun god was the god in flight upon a set of wings (a depiction akin to the wing ed disc in Egyptian religion). e See Jeremy Black, Gods, Demons, and Symbols of Ancient Mesopotamia: An Illustrated Dictionary (University of Texas Press, in conjunction with the British Museum, 1992): 168. This is an excellent reference source. Dr. Black is a well known Sumerian scholar.He was formerly the Director of the British School of Archaeology in Iraq and is now university lecturer in Akkadian and Sumerian at Wolfson College, Oxford. f See above source, p. 168. The above classic solar disk iconography in Sumero-Mesopotamian religion is contrasted with the star symbol, used to symbolize either stars in constellations, any deity (the star is either over the deity’s head or above it to the left of right), or Ishtar (Sumerian Inana), who stood for Venus, the most visible object in the sky aside from the sun and moon:g Note that this example has eight points.This is the most frequently attested style in Sumero-Mesopotamian religious art. The star also is found with six (l ike VA 243) or seven points, and the points even vary within the same seal or stela carving. It wasn’t consistent in points, but what the symbol stood for was consistent – either a star, planet, or deity – but NOT the sun. The star symbol is either set within a circle or, far more often, not within a circle. It is clearly distinct from the sun symbol. How do I know that the symbol of VA 243 is a star and not the sun disk?Other than the obvious noted above – that VA 243 does not have the wavy lines between the â€Å"arms† of the symbol and is not set within a circle – Sumero-Mesopotamian religion often grouped the symbols for the sun god with that of the moon god (Akkadian = Sin; Sumerian = Nanna) and Ishtar (Sumerian = Inana). This isn’t surprising since they were so readily viewed. In short, they didn’t confuse the symbols and neither should we. This grouped threesome is very prevalent in Sumero-Mesopotamian art, and compels t he observation that the sun symbol and star symbol were distinguished from each other:Source: Ursula Seidl, Die Babylonischen Kudurru Reliefs, Tafel 11, Zweite Gruppe, stela â€Å"a† = The Babylonian Kudurru Reliefs, Plate 11, 2nd Group, stela â€Å"a†. Note the wavy lines and encircled sun symbol on the right. Ursula Seidl, Die Babylonischen Kudurru Reliefs, Tafel 19, Vierte Gruppe, stela â€Å"b† = The Babylonian Kudurru Reliefs, Plate 19, 4th Group, relief â€Å"b†. Note the wavy lines and encircled sun symbol on the lower right. g See Black, 143. The symbols for sun and star/planet are also distinguished clearly in zodiacal artwork from Mesopotamia:The sun symbol (Left) and star symbol (Right) are next to each other under the snake (Draco). Note the wavy lines of the sun symbol Source: Ursula Seidl, Die Babylonischen Kudurru Reliefs, p. 47 = The Babylonian Kudurru Reliefs, p. 47 Here is a close-up of the sun (L) and star (R) symbol above. Note that th e star in this case has eight points: A second zodiac example: The sun symbol (center) and star symbol (R of center) are next to each other under the snake’s tail. Note the wavy lines of the sun symbol Source: Ursula Seidl, Die Babylonischen Kudurru Reliefs, p. 0 = The Babylonian Kudurru Reliefs, p. 60 In the above example, note that: (1) the star has seven points, and (b) the stars below it have six points. Note also that these smaller stars also LACK points – they are just dots. This seven dot/circle arrangement is one of the most common motifs in Mesopotamian art, and denote the Pleiades. The point here is that dots = stars in Mesopotamian art when in an astronomical context (or a context where a deity is identified with a star). This is important for our consideration of VA 243. Again, here is a close-up: A third zodiac example:Note that the star symbol here has six points as does the VA 243 star. Source: Ursula Seidl, Die Babylonischen Kudurru Reliefs, p. 23 = The Babylonian Kudurru Reliefs, p. 23 Some commentary on this last example is in order. The previous two examples clearly are in zodiac context, as is this one. Those previous two examples clearly have the sun symbol drawn in a manner consistent with expected Sumero-Mesopotamian features (wavy lines, encircled) that unmistakably distinguishes the sun from the star symbol. The star symbol signifies the same astronomical body in each case, yet the number of points varies.This means that the number of points is unimportant for identifying the star symbol as a STAR or planet, NOT the sun. Hence one cannot say, â€Å"well the star symbol usually has eight points, and the Sitchin seal has six, therefore it’s not a star but the sun. † This is erroneous because these examples demonstrate clearly that a star symbol can have 6, 7, or 8 pts. , and LACKS wavy lines. The symbol on Sitchin’s VA 243 is NOT the sun. It is a star, and thus denotes a star, a god, or a single planet. This isn’t my opinion, it’s the Sumero-Mesopotamian art convention.Let’s move on to some cylinder seal examples of star symbols. As noted above, the star was designed to signify a deity or literal star or planet. Here’s an example of a cylinder seal with Ishtar signaled as the deity by a star: Source: Henri Frankfort, Cylinder Seals: A Documentary Essay on the Art and Religion of the Ancient Near East (London: MacMillan and Co. , 1939): Plate XXVI-seal L In this example, the obvious star symbol has eight points, and is very similar in design to the star symbol of VA 243. We know it’s a star and not the sun because the goddess depicted is Ishtar. Another star symbol of very similar design to VA 243 is shown below:i The upper left-hand side of this seal contains the winged sun disk above the head of what scholars refer to as a â€Å"scorpion man† (note his tail). Just to the right of the winged disk is our star symbol. This time the star has seven points, and is quite similar to VA 243. Note as well h See the discussion in Frankfort (pp. 177-178, 236, 254) and Black, p. 168. See also the magisterial survey: E. Douglas van Buren, Symbols of the Gods in Mesopotamian Art, Analecta Orientalia 23 (Pontificum Institutum Biblicum, 1945): 8485. Frankfort, Plate XXXIII – seal b. the far upper right corner – the seven stars grouped together are the Pleiades (to which we will return in our discussion). Below are several examples of seals with six pointed stars: (Frankfort, Plate XXXIII – seal d): Comments: Note the six-pointed stars in the upper left and upper right corners. In both cases, note the presence of accompanying â€Å"dots† in groups of seven – again, the Pleiades (the â€Å"extra dot† over the head of the smaller standing figure denotes a deity as it is a star).The seven dots = the seven stars of the Pleiades (the dots were interchangeable with pointed stars to denote stars). A s E. Douglas van Buren, an expert on Sumerian and Mesopotamian art comments: â€Å"In the earliest representations of the 7 dots as yet known it can be seen that . . . they formed a ring or rosette around a central dot . . . [From] the early Babylonian period onwards it is increasingly common to find the 7 dots arranged like stars in the constellation of the Pleiades, and in the last quarter of the second millennium the dots are shaped for the first time as stars. j This observation is important because it demonstrates that the â€Å"pointed star + Pleiades† pattern does not require a certain number of points on the stars. Recall that the same situation was true with the zodiac – it does not matter how many points a star symbol has – it’s a star, not the sun. Another example: j E. Douglas van Buren, â€Å"The Seven Dots in Mesopotamian Art and Their Meaning,† Archiv fur Orientforschung XIII (1941): 277; see also E. Douglas van Buren, Symbols of th e Gods in Mesopotamian Art, 74ff. and E.Douglas van Buren, â€Å"The Rosette in Mesopotamian Art,† Zeitschrift fur Assyriologie and vorderasiatische Archaeologie, new series, vol. 11 (1939, vol. 45 from old series): 104ff. (Frankfort, Plate XXXV – seal h): In this seal the star has six points surrounding a central dot. Note again the Pleiades symbol (see below under the next point on the â€Å"dots† in VA 243). Before leaving the discussion of the star symbol, take note of the close similarity in style between the star on VA 243 that Sitchin says is the sun and the star symbols we have noted above: Frankfort XXXIII-b VA 243Ishtar star Now compare these with the actual sun symbol: III. The Surrounding â€Å"Dots† As I asked in the introduction to this paper, if Sitchin’s â€Å"sun† is not a sun, then what are the dots? The most apparent answer, based on the examples above, is that they too are stars. We have already seen that dots were used t o depict the stars of the Pleiades, and showed that the seven dots = the seven star symbols elsewhere used for the same constellation. We also saw above in the seal of Frankfort Plate XXXIII-d that a single pointed star can be associated with dots which are also stars.It is almost that the â€Å"star + seven dots† symbology is saying, â€Å"constellation = Pleiades. † There is therefore abundant precedent for asserting that these dots in VA243 are stars. It could be that this seal is â€Å"saying†: â€Å"Constellation = the one with 11 stars†. Since I don’t know astronomy well, I’ll let the reader ponder that one. The introduction also noted that the symbology of the seal could just point to a deity and perhaps the divine council. Enough said on that. IV. On Sumerian or Mesopotamian Astronomical KnowledgeIn this regard I offer the reader an opportunity to challenge my assertion above (and I am just quoting specialists in cuneiform astronomic al tablets) that there is not a single text in the entire corpus of Sumerian or Mesopotamian tablets in the world that says the Sumerians or Mesopotamians knew of more than five planets. Below are bibliographical references that anyone can access (the scholarly, dissertation level materials that one needs some knowledge of semitic languages and/or cuneiform, as well as a background in mathematics or astronomy, to really use are noted in their own category).In my paper on Nibiru (available on my website), I’ll briefly go into what the Sumerians and Mesopotamians knew about the planets. For now, though, giving the reader these sources will suffice. General Sources: Francesca Rochberg, â€Å"Astronomy and Calendars in Ancient Mesopotamia,† Civilizations of the Ancient Near East, vol. III, pp. 1925-1940 (ed. , Jack Sasson, 2000) Bartel L. van der Waerden, Science Awakening, vol. 2: The Birth of Astronomy (1974) Technical but Still Readable Wayne Horowitz, Mesopotamian Cosm ic Geography (1998) N. M.Swerdlow, Ancient Astronomy and Celestial Divination (2000) Scholarly (Technical) Resources: Otto Neugebauer, The Exact Sciences in Antiquity (1953) Otto Neugebauer, Astronomical Cuneiform Texts (1955) Erica Reiner and David Pingree, Enuma Elish Enlil Tablet 63, The Venus Tablet of Ammisaduqa (1975) Hermann Hunger and David Pingree, MUL. APIN: An Astronomical Compendium in Cuneiform (1989) Hermann Hunger and David Pingree, Astral Sciences in Mesopotamia (1999) N. Swerdlow, The Babylonian Theory of the Planets (1998) David Brown, Mesopotamian Planetary Astronomy-Astrology (2000)

Faux Amis False Cognates of French and English

French and English have hundreds of cognates (words which look and/or are pronounced alike in the two languages), including true (similar meanings), false (different meanings), and semi-false (some similar and some different meanings). A list of hundreds of false cognates can be a bit unwieldy, so here is an abridged list of the most common false cognates in French and English. Common False Cognates in French and English Actuellement vs Actually Actuellement means at the present time and should be translated as currently or right now: Je travaille actuellement - I am currently working A related word is actuel, which means present or current: le problà ¨me actuel - the current/present problem Actually means in fact and should be translated as en fait or à   vrai dire. Actually, I dont know him - En fait, je ne le connais pas Actual means real or true, and depending on the context can be translated as rà ©el, và ©ritable, positif, or concret: The actual value - la valeur rà ©elle Assister vs Assist Assister à   nearly always means to attend something: Jai assistà © à   la confà ©rence - I attended (went to) the conference To assist means to help or aid someone or something: I assisted the woman into the building - Jai aidà © la dame à   entrer dans limmeuble Attendre vs Attend Attendre à   means to wait for: Nous avons attendu pendant deux heures - We waited for two hours. To attend is translated by assister (see above): I attended the conference - Jai assistà © à   la confà ©rence Avertissement vs Advertisement Un avertissement is a warning or caution, from the verb avertir - to warn. An advertisement  is une publicità ©, une rà ©clame, or un spot publicitaire. Blesser vs Bless Blesser means to wound, injure, or offend, while to bless  means bà ©nir. Bras vs Bras Le bras refers to an arm; bras in English  is the plural of bra - un soutien-gorge. Caractà ¨re vs Character Caractà ¨re refers only to the character or temperament of a person or thing: Cette maison a du caractà ¨re - This house has character. Character can mean both nature/temperament as well as a person in a play: Education develops character - Là ©ducation dà ©veloppe le caractà ¨reRomeo is a famous character - Romeo est un personnage cà ©lebre Cent vs Cent Cent is the French word for a hundred, while cent in English  can be figuratively translated by un sou. Literally, it is one-hundredth of a dollar. Chair vs Chair La chair means flesh. A chair can refer to une chaise, un fauteuil (armchair), or un sià ¨ge (seat). Chance vs Chance La chance means luck, while chance in English refers to un hasard, une possibilità ©, or une occasion. To say I didnt have a chance to... see Occasion vs Occasion, below. Christian vs Christian Christian is a masculine French name while Christian in English can be an adjective or a noun: (un) chrà ©tien. Coin vs Coin Le coin refers to a corner in every sense of the English word. It can also be used figuratively to mean from the area: là ©picier du coin - the local grocerVous à ªtes du coin ? - Are you from around here? A coin is a piece of metal used as money - une pià ¨ce de monnaie. Collà ¨ge vs College Le collà ¨ge and le lycà ©e both refer to high school: Mon collà ¨ge a 1 000 à ©là ¨ves - My high school has 1,000 students College is translated by università ©: This colleges tuition is very expensive - Les frais de scolarità © à   cette università © sont trà ¨s à ©levà ©s. Commander vs Command Commander is a  semi-false cognate. It means to make an order (command) as well as to order (request) a meal or goods/services. Une  commande  is translated by  order  in English. Command  can be translated by  commander,  ordonner, or  exiger. It is also a noun:  un  ordre  or  un  commandement. Con vs Con Con  is a vulgar word that literally refers to female genitalia. It usually means an  idiot, or is used as an adjective in the sense of  bloody  or  damned. Con  can be a noun - la  frime, une  escroquerie, or a verb -  duper,  escroquer. Pros and cons - le pour et le contre Crayon vs Crayon Un crayon is a  pencil, while a crayon  is as un crayon de couleur. The French language uses this expression for both crayon and colored pencil. Dà ©ception vs Deception Une dà ©ception is a  disappointment  or  let-down, while a deception  is une  tromperie  or  duperie. Demander vs Demand Demander means  to ask  for: Il  ma  demandà © de  chercher  son pull - He asked me to look for his sweater Note that the French noun  une  demande  does correspond to the English noun demand. To demand is usually translated by  exiger: He demanded that I look for his sweater - Il  a exigà ©Ã‚  que  je  cherche  son pull Dà ©ranger vs Derange Dà ©ranger can mean to  derange  (the mind), as well as to  bother,  disturb, or  disrupt. Excusez-moi  de  vous  dà ©ranger... - Im sorry for bothering you....   To derange  is used only when talking about mental health (usually as an adjective: deranged dà ©rangà ©). Douche vs Douche Une douche is a   shower, while douche  in English refers to a method of cleaning a body cavity with air or water:  lavage interne. Entrà ©e vs Entrà ©e Une entrà ©e is an  hors-doeuvre  or appetizer, while an entrà ©e refers to the main course of a meal: le plat principal. Envie vs Envy Avoir  envie  de  means  to want  or  to feel like  something: Je  nai  pas  envie  de  travailler  - I dont want to work / I dont feel like working The verb envier, however, does mean to envy. Envy means to be  jealous  or  desirous  of something belonging to another. The French verb is envier: I envy Johns courage - Jenvie le courage à   Jean Éventuellement vs Eventually Éventuellement means  possibly,  if need be, or  even: Vous  pouvez  Ãƒ ©ventuellement  prendre  ma  voiture  - You can even take my car / You can take my car if need be. Eventually indicates that an action will occur at a later time; it can be translated by  finalement,  Ãƒ   la  longue, or  tà ´t ou tard: I will eventually do it - Je le  ferai  finalement  / tà ´t ou tard Expà ©rience vs Experience Expà ©rience is a semi-false cognate, because it means both  experience  and  experiment: Jai fait une expà ©rience - I did an experimentJai  eu une expà ©rience intà ©ressante  - I had an interesting experience Experience can be a noun or verb  refering  to something that happened. Only the noun translates into expà ©rience: Experience shows that ... - Lexpà ©rience dà ©montre  que... He experienced some difficulties - Il a rencontrà © des difficultà ©s Finalement vs Finally Finalement means  eventually  or  in the end, while finally  is  enfin  or  en dernier lieu. Football vs Football Le football, or le foot, refers to  soccer  (in American English). In the US, football   le  football amà ©ricain. Formidable vs Formidable Formidable is an interesting  word  because it means  great  or  terrific; almost the opposite of the English. Ce film est  formidable !  - This is a great movie! Formidable in English means  dreadful  or  fearsome: The opposition is formidable - Lopposition est  redoutable/effrayante Gentil vs Gentle Gentil  usually means  nice  or  kind: Il a un  gentil  mot pour  chacun  - He has a kind word for everyone It can also mean good, as in: il  a à ©tà ©Ã‚  gentil  - he was a good boy Gentle can also mean  kind  but in the more physical sense of  soft  or  not rough. It can be translated by  doux,  aimable,  modà ©rà ©, or  là ©ger: He is gentle with his hands - Il a la main douceA gentle breeze -  une   brise  là ©gà ¨re Gratuità © vs Gratuity Gratuità ©Ã‚  refers to anything that is given for free: la gratuità © de là ©ducation - free education while a gratuity  is un  pourboire  or  une  gratification. Gros vs Gross Gros means  big,  fat,  heavy, or  serious: un  gros  problà ¨me - a big/serious problem Gross  means  grossier,  fruste, or (informally)  dà ©gueullasse. Ignorer vs Ignore Ignorer is a semi-false cognate. It nearly always means  to be ignorant or unaware  of something:   jignore  tout de  cette  affaire - I know nothing about this business To ignore means to deliberately not pay attention to someone or something. The usual translations are  ne  tenir  aucun  compte  de,  ne  pas  relever, and  ne  pas prà ªter attention à  . Librairie vs Library Une  librairie  refers to a  bookstore, while library in French is  une  bibliothà ¨que. Monnaie vs Money La  monnaie  can refer to  currency,  coin(age), or  change, and money is the general term for  argent. Napkin vs Napkin Un napkin refers to a  sanitary napkin. A napkin is correctly translated by   une  serviette. Occasion vs Occasion Occasion refers to a(n)  occasion,  circumstance,  opportunity, or  second-hand purchase. Une chemise  doccasion  - a  second-hand  or  used  shirt. Avoir  loccasion  de means  to have a/the chance  to:   Je  navais  pas  loccasion  de  lui  parler  - I didnt have a chance to talk to him. An occasion is une  occasion, un  Ãƒ ©và ©nement, or un  motif. Opportunità © vs Opportunity Opportunità © refers to  timeliness  or  appropriateness: Nous  discutons  de lopportunità ©Ã‚  daller  Ãƒ   la plage -  Were discussing the appropriateness of going to the beach (under the circumstances). Opportunity leans toward favorable circumstances for a particular action or event and is translated by  une  occasion: Its an opportunity to improve your French -  Cest  une  occasion de te  perfectionner  en franà §ais. Parti/Partie vs Party Un  parti  can refer to several different things: a  political party, an  option  or  course of action  (prendre  un  parti  - to  make a decision), or a  match  (i.e., Hes a good match for you). It is also the past participle of  partir  (to leave). Une  partie  can mean  a  part  (e.g.,  une  partie  du film - a  part of the film), a  field  or  subject, a  game  (e.g.,  une  partie  de  cartes  - a  game of cards), or a  party  in a trial. A party  usually refers to une  fà ªte,  soirà ©e, or  rà ©ception; un  correspondant  (on the phone), or  un groupe/une à ©quipe. Pià ¨ce vs Piece Une pià ¨ce is a semi-false cognate. It means  piece  only in the sense of broken pieces. Otherwise, it indicates a  room,  sheet of paper,  coin, or  play.   Piece  is a part of something - un  morceau  or  une  tranche. Professeur vs Professor Un  professeur  refers to a high school, college, or university  teacher  or  instructor, while a professor is un  professeur  titulaire  dune  chaire. Publicità © vs Publicity Publicità © is a semi-false cognate. In addition to  publicity, une publicità © can mean  advertising  in general, as well as a  commercial  or  advertisement. Publicity is translated by  de la publicità ©. Quitter vs Quit Quitter is a semi-false cognate: it means both  to leave  and  to quit  (i.e., leave something for good). When quit means to leave something for good, it is translated by  quitter. When it means to quit (stop) doing something, it is translated by  arrà ªter de: I need to quit smoking - Je  dois  arrà ªter de fumer. Raisin vs Raisin Un raisin is a  grape; a raisin is un  raisin sec. Rater vs Rate Rater means to  misfire,  miss,  mess  up,  or  fail, while  rate  is the noun  proportion  or  taux  or the verb  Ãƒ ©valuer  or  considà ©rer. Rà ©aliser vs Realize Rà ©aliser means to  fulfill  (a dream or aspiration) or  achieve. To realize  means  se rendre compte de,  prendre conscience de, or  comprendre. Rester vs Rest Rester is a semi-false cognate. It usually means  to stay  or  remain: Je  suis  restà ©e à   la  maison  - I stayed at the house When it is used idiomatically, it is translated by  rest: He refused to let the matter rest - Il  refusait  den  rester là   The verb to rest in the sense of getting some rest is translated by  se  reposer: Elle  ne  se  repose  jamais  - She never rests Rà ©union vs Reunion Une rà ©union can mean  collection,  gathering,  raising  (of money), or  reunion. A reunion  is  une  rà ©union, but note that it usually refers to a meeting of a group that has been separated for an extended period of time (e.g., class reunion, family reunion). Robe vs Robe Une robe is a  dress,  frock, or  gown, while a robe  is un  peignoir. Sale vs Sale Sale is an adjective -  dirty. Saler means to  salt. A sale  is  une vente  or  un solde. Sympathique vs Sympathetic Sympathique (often shortened to  sympa) means  nice,  likeable,  friendly,  kindly. Sympathetic  can be translated by  compatissant  or  de  sympathie. Type vs Type Un type  is informal for a  guy  or  bloke. In the normal register, it can mean  type,  kind, or  epitome. Quel type de  moto ?  - What kind of motorbike?Le type de là ©goà ¯sme - The epitome of selfishness. Type  means un  type, un  genre, une  espà ¨ce, une  sorte, une  marque, etc. Unique vs Unique The French word unique means  only  when it precedes a noun (unique  fille  -  only girl) and  unique  or  one of a kind  when it follows. In English, unique means  unique,  inimitable, or  exceptionnel. Zone vs Zone Une zone usually means a  zone  or an  area, but it can also refer to a  slum. A zone is  une  zone.