Talk:Pont Neuf

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How does Pont Neuf mean "new bridge" in french?

J. Crocker 22:22, 7 May 2006 (UTC)

There are two different French words spelled neuf. One (which you are probably familiar with) means "nine." The other is a masculine adjective meaning "new." (Its feminine form is neuve.) In this case, the name uses the latter definition. Funnyhat 15:53, 13 July 2006 (UTC)

Actually, Pont Neuf means "Bridge Nine"... I've heard of Nouvelle (not neuve) as the feminine of "new"...

It means "New Bridge". "Neuf" is also the word for the digit 9, however. Badgerpatrol 11:14, 31 May 2007 (UTC)

Yes, as already noted, Pont Neuf means "New Bridge" and not "Bridge Nine". To understand why, you have to realise that new in English carries two main definitions: new as in literally brand new, just created, etc., and new as in something that is different, novel, a replacement of what was there before, etc. French expresses the two concepts in two words instead of one: nerf and nouveau respectively. So, for example, in English you can say, "He put on a new shirt", and you might be implying that he wore a brand new shirt that he just bought from a shop ("Il a mis une chemise neuve"), or you might be implying that he was previously wearing a dirty shirt and that he's just put on a fresh one, but that the shirt itself is not necessarily brand new ("Il a mis une nouvelle chemise"). Got it? :) -- Hux (talk) 10:45, 3 March 2008 (UTC)