Le mot de la semaine: régime
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Le mot de la semaine: régime
What is the difference between a bunch of bananas and the regime of now ex-President Mubarak of Egypt? Answer: Nothing. Not, that is, if you using this week’s French word of the week.
The word « régime » has several meanings.
It is used, as in English, to indicate a form of government à la Mubarak or closer to home, the « régime militaire » in Fiji.
It is also used to indicate a set of rules or regulations such as the « régime des hôpitaux » (hospital regulations).
This leads on to rules of conduct in the more general sense and we find the « régimes d’entraînement » (training schedules) of athletes
The most common one that everyone will have thought of, if not attempted, is the « régime alimentaire diététique », the diet. «Je suis un régime pour maigrir».
« régime »is found, too, in the automotive and geographic worlds meaning rate or conditions. A « régime de croisière » is a cruising speed, the « régime climatérique» means climatic conditions.
All of the above include the idea of control, self or otherwise, but the slightly odd one out is the « régime de bananes » which designates the bunch or stem of bananas, with the word also being used for dates.
And a couple of other expressions: « le régime actuel » – present order of things ; « A ce régime, il ne tiendra pas longtemps».- At this rate, he won’t last long.