Bastille Day

While we have lots of things to thank France for — crepes, lingerie, sexy Frenchmen — the French kiss is not one of them. And in fact, there was never even an official French word for "French kiss" until now! The one-word verb "galocher" (translation: to kiss with tongues) was added to the Petit Robert 2014 French dictionary, released today.

The French had previously used expressions that translated to "kiss with tongue" or "kissing at length in the mouth." Galocher has been a slang term derived from "la galoche," an ice-skating boot (Slippery? Gliding on ice? Figure eights? I get it), but is just now being officially recognized.

While "French kissing" began appearing in conversation during the 19th century, it took off in the early 20th century when it first appeared in the World War I book Private Lindner's Letters: Censored and Uncensored of 1918. "I have decided to become a linguist," he wrote. "Being able to read French fluently and speak it wretchedly, and to speak German connectively but not to read it at all, I am taking up Luxembourg, which is a wonderful blend of the two, a sort of liaison between tongues. (Not to be confused with French kissing.)"

In fact, if we're going to credit anyone, then it probably should be the British and American soldiers of World War I. Upon returning home from continental Europe, they showed their wives and girlfriends what they learned from the amorous country and called it a French kiss.

Tomorrow welcomes Bastille Day, the French national holiday that commemorates the beginning of the French Revolution. It's the perfect time to get cozy on the patio of a little bistro and make some celebratory noise. In the past, I've been inclined to settle in with a big beer and some moules frites, but this week, I've got a hankering for a French 75.

If you've never had one, a French 75 combines bubbly with the bright flavors of citrus and gin for a slightly sweet but very clean drink. My favorite version comes from San Francisco bar star Jeff Hollinger, who likes to garnish his drink with house-made brandied cherries. Drinking one makes me feel très sophistiqué, like a true Parisian. Get the recipe.

In celebration of Bastille Day, the French National Day, let's take a look at some French words we commonly use in our daily vocabulary. It's quite easy to mispronounce and say it as how it looks like on paper, because not everyone is fluent in French. Here are some of the more common French words and the correct ways to pronounce them:

Baguette: This long, barrow French bread is pronounced "ba-get."

C'est la vie: This is a phrase which means "such is life" and is used to downplay a disappointment. You pronounce it as "say-la-vee."

Faux pas: A faux pas is a mistake in etiquette or conduct. It is pronounced "foe-pah."

Chic: Chic is a word we often use in English to describe something stylish, and it's pronounced "sheek" not "chick."

Haute couture: Haute couture is basically high fashion. You pronounce it as "oat-koo-tuur."

Avant-garde: Avant-garde is a term often used to describe something unorthodox or experimental. It's used a lot as a description in the fashion industry. You should pronounce it "ah-von-gahd."

Eau de toilette: You'll see this phrase on most perfumes, or "eau de parfum" for stronger fragrances. You should pronounce it as "oh-do-toy-let."

Cache: Cache means a hiding place or anything that's being hidden. Since it doesn't end with an accented "e," you should pronounce this word as "kash," not "kashay."