Word face-to-face, which is now used (a lot) to designate what “takes place in the presence of the persons concerned”, can be used as an adjective as well as a noun.
We can write face-to-face learning or prefer face-to-face learning. Face-to-face teaching. Face-to-face training. Face-to-face training. Face-to-face voting.
We retained the spelling with a t, more frequent, rather than the one with a vs, for words with “en”, as we write confidential, existential Where residential. We will therefore not write “presencial or presencial” as we would write superficial Where tutorial. Or distancing.
Word distancing, it designates what “takes place without the physical presence of the persons concerned”. It is also used as an adjective or as a noun.
We can write distance learning Where distance learning. Meeting in distancing. We write distancing with a vs, on the model of other words with “an” like circumstantial Where trend rather than with a t (we don’t write distant). We are therefore inspired by distance instead of distant.
These are the two spellings that we retain even if exceptions can justify the other ways of writing these two words.
Nothing prevents us from using the terms face-to-face and distancing. Whatever one thinks, they have been proven for a long time and are accepted by many sources. You can find them both in Robert, for example, or on the website of the Office québécois de la langue française.
Nothing forces us to either. We may prefer, depending on the context, the terms teaching in presence and Distance Learning, distance lessons, in class, in-person teaching, on the spot, distance learning, tele-training, online formation, virtual training, telework, remote work, home, at home, etc.
The right to build
What is the adjective to say that we have the right to build on land? I think it is constructible, but we see a lot buildable.
Reply
It’s good constructible. Land where one has the right to construct a building is land constructible. Unbuildable flood zone.
The Linguistic Troubleshooting Bank of the Office québécois de la langue française (OQLF) specifies that “constructible does not exist and constitutes barbarism”, that is to say, according to Robert, a gross mistake of language, l use of forged or distorted words or the use of a word in a meaning that it does not have.
Verbs translate and harm gave translatable and harmful, so we might think that to build should give “buildable”. We should rather think about indestructible, for example.
In addition, in the same field, we can also speak, if necessary, of a field serviced. The verb make means “to make (a site) habitable, or suitable for construction, by carrying out the necessary development work (water supply, electricity, etc.)”. Fully serviced landé. In this sense, we will also see the terms landscaped land Where equipped land.
Do you have questions about the French language? Ask our language advisor