lumpenproletariatMar 27
lifes answer
Show threadpedzMar 27

This is interesting as a language quirk. Alien can just mean “different” in English. It doesn’t need to come from space. But English also has extraterrestrial.

As a non native speaker, I had to pause and wonder a bit about “alien”.

Show threadKairosMar 27
Every language is like this. Any given word can mean multiple things.
Show threadpedz
AFAIK there’s no equivalent word for alien in French. The concept is different. Everything coming from space is automatically extraterrestrial. If it’s coming from earth, it’s just a strange/different species or a different form of life. The vagueness of alien doesn’t translate well in French, unless we use the word ‘alien’.
Mar 28 at 9:33amWeb
Show threadMalgasMar 28
Which is ironic, because while the modern French word was borrowed from English, the English word is from Old French.