anglais

Anglais is the French term for both the English language and the English people. In French, l’anglais denotes the English language, while un Anglais refers to an English person. The word anglais also functions as the masculine adjective meaning “English,” as in une culture anglaise or un livre anglais.

Etymology: The term derives from Old French Anglais, from Anglo-Latin Anglicus, from Anglia (England). It parallels terms in many Romance languages that name the language and its speakers after England.

Usage and scope: In Francophone contexts, Anglais covers the language used by English-speaking communities and the linguistic varieties of English. The distinction between the language and people is marked by capitalization and article: l’anglais (the language) vs un Anglais (an English person).

Global context: English is a Germanic language with wide international use as a lingua franca and is commonly taught in schools worldwide, including in French-speaking countries.

Varieties: In French discussions, anglais britannique and anglais américain refer to British and American English, with other varieties recognized as well.