timideur

Germaine Dec 2, 2020:

Agree with Daryo. The problem here is "team", pronounced [tim] instead of [ti:m] by some French speakers. And I would certainly not add "timideur" to the French lexicon, ne serait-ce que pour sa proximité avec "timide" et "intimider" qui en détournent totalement le sens "team leader".

Daryo Nov 30, 2020:

the sound "L" shouldn't create any problem for French people.

But the sound "H" - like in hotel or host - that's a completely different story.

As that sound simply doesn't exist in French, it's a proper nightmare for most French speakers.

Mpoma Nov 30, 2020:

@Suzie Super surmising.

But I think "timideur" should now be added to the French lexicon: often when people adopt a buzzword from another language (very often English for obvious reasons) they can't be bothered to distort their mouth in a manner which is awkward for the pronunciation aesthetics of their own language... or they find the full term too cumbersome, particularly among population groups using particular languages who love to speak very rapidly (there are many). Hence, "living room" --> "living", etc. But also (e.g.) many English words which are routinely adopted by the speakers of India's numerous indigenous languages.

Under these circs you can well imagine the awkward "L" sound in "Team Leader" just being too fiddly to bother with, and if it becomes a term people use a lot...

Philippa Smith Nov 30, 2020:

Well "heard" Suzie, that IS genius! :-D

Suzie Withers Nov 30, 2020:

@Mark You are very welcome!

Mark Bossanyi (asker) Nov 30, 2020:

@Suzie Withers Suzie, you are a genius! Thanks. This has brightened up my day no end.

philgoddard Nov 30, 2020:

Yes I think that has to be it. Well done.

Suzie Withers Nov 30, 2020:

Could it be a mis-hearing of "team leaders"?

(which, whilst an English term, does seem to be used in French too)