False Friends: Mastering Linguistic Traps
Computer Devices in English Teaching and Translation
IMAN MOUKHLISSI FETH
"Watch this video carefully. You’ll answer questions based on it."
Proceed to Quiz ♦
What is exactly a ''false friend''?
♦A false friend is a word in one language that looks or sounds similar to a word in another language but has a completely different meaning.
♣A false friend is a word in one language that is spelled the same as a word in another language and always means the exact same thing.
Differences Between Cognates and False Friends:
If you chose the incorrect definition, don’t worry—here’s an explanation! The wrong definition suggests that false friends are words in different languages that are spelled the same and always have the exact same meaning. However, this is not true. False friends are actually words in different languages that look or sound similar but have different meanings, which can easily lead to confusion for language learners. For example, the German word Gift means "poison," not a "present" like its English counterpart. This difference in meaning is what makes these words "false friends"—they seem familiar but can mislead you!