Voisinage as alternative for neighbourhood

kevin Y.C1Kwiziq community member

Voisinage as alternative for neighbourhood

j'ai souvent entendu le mot voisinage comme alternatif à quartier - est-ce c'est vrai?

Asked 6 months ago
CécileNative French expert teacher in KwiziqCorrect answer

Hi Kevin,

Please take a look at my answer to a similar question -

https://french.kwiziq.com/questions/view/is-voisinage-wrong-for-neighbourhood

Hope it helps!

Jim J.C1 Kwiziq Q&A super contributor

Bonjour Kevin,

Yes! "voisinage" is the correct French term for neighbourhood -- I have seen this being displayed on signage in the suburbs of Paris for example.

https://www.wordreference.com/fren/voisinage

Bonne journée

Jim

Maarten K.C1 Kwiziq Q&A super contributor

Cécile, 

I would have said much the same from what I have garnered to date, but it looks like it is not as clear cut with ‘voisinage’.

This is partly because of different interpretations in regional English of the meaning of ‘neighbourhood’ which is the word used in the original English script, but also because the Académie dictionary lists usage of voisinage ‘ par extension’  for  ‘ des Lieux situés à proximité ‘, and ‘aussi’ for ‘ l’Ensemble des personnes voisines ‘. 

Some other bilingual dictionaries at least (Larousse, Collin’s, wordreference) also reference quartier and voisinage as synonymous in regard to ‘ neighbourhood ‘ as ‘place’ as well.

Quartier though does not convey the additional use of voisinage to ‘ the neighbours’, from my understanding of the definitions. (I think I used ‘ quartier ‘ when I did the referenced exercise)

https://www.dictionnaire-academie.fr/article/A8V0718

https://www.dictionnaire-academie.fr/article/A9Q0108

 https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english-french/neighbourhood

 https://www.wordreference.com/enfr/neighbourhood

Voisinage as alternative for neighbourhood

j'ai souvent entendu le mot voisinage comme alternatif à quartier - est-ce c'est vrai?

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