French leave

High school (ages 12+)
Everyday Life

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/french-leave

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the first attestation date?1751
2. What is the behavioral spectrum?Encompasses actions from polite social discretion to serious unauthorized absences
3. Why do people use French leave?People use it to avoid long goodbyes, keep the conversation flowing, or not make the host feel they have to say goodbye.
4. When did the phrase "French leave" first appear?The first recorded use of the phrase was in 1751, when English people used it to describe a discreet way of leaving.

French leave: The act of departing from a location or event without informing others or seeking approval, often to avoid disruption or awkwardness.
French exit: An alternative term for French leave, emphasizing a discreet and unannounced departure from a social gathering.
Filer à l'anglaise: The French equivalent phrase, meaning 'to leave English style,' highlighting a reciprocal cultural attribution of this departure method.
Social Contract: The implicit agreements and expectations that govern behavior within a society or group.