Hi! Thanks for joining me for this new episode of the Français Authentique podcast. I'm really happy to see you again today, as usual. We're going to discover together the expression "rondir les angles".
But before moving on to the explanations, I would just like to make a small aside concerning the upcoming reopening of registrations at the Authentic French Academy . So know that from January 7, you will be able to join the academy which, I remind you, is closed 90% of the year. So if you really want, now, to join us, to join a complete learning platform, all in one, in which you will have content, in which you will be part of a community and in which you will have access to Zoom meetings with French tutors, with Johan, well do not miss the registrations. You have the link in the description and you can already join the waiting list. So you will be informed directly of the openings. You click on the first link, you discover the content of the academy and you can join the waiting list for the registrations of January 7.
Let's go back to the expression "rounding off the corners". So we're going to zoom in on the words that make up the expression.
First of all, we have the word "round." "Round" is a verb that means to make something round, to give it a circular or curved shape, let's say a rather rounded shape.
And the word "angle" is generally used in lebanon whatsapp number data geometry. It is a figure that is formed by two straight lines that intersect and thus form an angle. The word "angle" is also used to designate the corner of an object that is generally pointed, in the shape of a triangle, to designate the corner of a piece of furniture, the corner of a street, etc.
Regarding the meaning of the expression, originally, let's say in the literal sense, to round off the angles, well it means to make the angles less sharp, because an angle is sharp. And by analogy, in the figurative sense, it means to calm a conflict. An angle, by definition, sharp, can hurt. So here, the angle represents an argument, a disagreement between several people. And conversely, the verb "to round off" invites gentleness, temperance, diplomacy.
So a person who smooths things over, they seek to bring calm to a discussion that is, let's say, stormy or in a situation that is rather tense. So that means calming down a conflict between people by showing tact, by calming things down, by reducing tensions, by arranging things and by showing diplomacy. These sharp edges, we are going to smooth them over, we are going to make them round, curved so that they do not hurt. So here, there is really a figurative meaning to the expression. A sharp edge hurts, can hurt. And when we smooth it over, it becomes harmless.