Make Your Point > Archived Issues > SAVOIR VIVRE

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explore the archives: Today's "savoir vivre" means "the ability to conduct yourself in a socially appropriate way," and it also sometimes means "the ability to live with flair." It's French for "how to live" and is the lesser-known cousin of our recent term "savoir-f____." Could you recall it? That one means literally "how to do," or "knowledge of what to say and do at the right time in social life." So, both of these terms basically mean "social skills," or "knowledge of how to behave in polite society." Why bother knowing both, then, if they're so similar? Well, these days, "savoir vivre" also has that second meaning of "ability to live the good life." Aside from that, consider nuance. For the particular idea you're expressing, are you emphasizing how social skills are about doing and saying the right things, or living the right way? Pick which suits you. Just make sure the context is right. These are some fancy, fussy little terms we're looking at here. make your point with... "SAVOIR VIVRE" French for "knowledge of how to live," savoir vivre is knowledge of how to participate in polite, sophisticated society. That's the technically correct definition. But in modern usage, people also use "savoir vivre" to mean "knowledge of how to live the good life," or in other words, "the ability to enjoy life and savor its pleasures." Pronunciation: SAV warr VEE vruh Part of speech: Uncountable noun. (Like "milk," "rice," and "education," uncountable nouns are words for stuff that can’t be broken into exact units. You talk about "some milk," "the rice," and "a lot of education," but you don’t say "a milk," "three rices," or "many educations." Likewise, talk about "their savoir vivre," "such savoir vivre," "no savoir vivre," and so on, but don’t say "savoir vivres.") Other forms: Some prefer a hyphen instead of a space: "savoir-vivre." How to use it: Talk about someone's savoir vivre, or the savoir vivre of a particular group or place: his savoir vivre, her savoir vivre, people with no savoir vivre, a city known for its savoir vivre, etc. Someone might reveal an embarrassing lack of savoir vivre or a certain disregard for savoir vivre. examples: Punctuality has almost no value in Hawaiian savoir vivre. To a foodie, I'm sure my tendency to prepare the same meals over and over shows a grievous lack of savoir vivre. I'm okay with that. study it now: Look away from the screen to explain the definition in your own words. You’ll know you understand what "savoir vivre" means when you can explain it without saying "sophistication" or "knowing how to enjoy the finer things in life." try it out: Think of some social behavior that's really awkward or rude, and fill in the blank: "People with any savoir vivre don't _____." Example: "People with any savoir vivre don't bring extra, uninvited guests to formal gatherings." before you review: Spend at least 20 seconds occupying your mind with the game below. Then try the review questions. Don’t go straight to the review now—let your working memory empty out first. When it comes to word roots, everybody knows what some of them mean, like “ambi/amphi” (“both”) and “circum” (“around”) and “hetero” (“different”). This knowledge helps you explain why words like “automobile” and “autobiography” look similar—in this case, it’s because they both involve the concept of “self.” But what about some of the less obvious roots? Could you explain, for example, why “contain” looks so much like “sustain” by defining “tain”? This month, we're exploring the meanings underlying common words you know. You can usually figure these out by looking for an extremely basic concept common to all the words in each group. We’ll start with easier, more obvious roots and move on to trickier ones as the month goes on! Yesterday's question:  In adjourn, journal, journey, and sojourn, what does “journ” mean?  Answer: A day.  Try this one today: In apprehensive, comprehension, prehensile, and reprehend, what does “prehen” mean?  review today's word: 1. The opposite of SAVOIR VIVRE is A. MEANNESS B. CRUDENESS C. JEALOUSY 2.  According to Henri Frédéric Amiel, the first condition of savoir vivre is _____. A. anything goes B. respect for others C. ambition above all else Answers are below. a final word: To be a sponsor and send your own message to readers of this list, please contact Liesl at Liesl@HiloTutor.com. Disclaimer: Word meanings presented here are expressed in plain language and are limited to common, useful applications only. Readers interested in authoritative and multiple definitions of words are encouraged to check a dictionary. Likewise, word meanings, usage, and pronunciations are limited to American English; these elements may vary across world Englishes. Answers to review questions: 1. B 2. B