The expression “to make sense”, modeled on the English “to make sense”, is still criticized. We will avoid it if we try to express ourselves carefully and we will rather follow the recommendations of reference works.
Many expressions are possible, depending on the context, to translate “it makes sense”. It makes sense, it stands, it holds up, It’s a good idea, it seems reasonable. And to translate “it doesn’t make sense”: it does not make sense, that does not make any sense, it’s insane, it doesn’t stand up, it is not logical, it makes no sense, It makes no sense.
We also use the phrase it makes sense to signify Needless to say, it’s obvious.
In the vast majority of cases, the s end of the meaning word is pronounced. We are supposed (and not sensible) to make it heard in expressions like despite common sense, it doesn’t make sense, without common sense.
There are two exceptions, the expressions direction front to back And upside down (the word spelled without is an error). Here, sense is a graphic alteration of Old French, we read in the Petit Robert of the French language. Originally, these two expressions were written it’s upside down“that is to say, [qui était] above…” and it in front behind.
Another term, make sense, is also criticized, but also defended, in particular by the Belgian linguist Michel Francard. In his language column “You have these words” (which he ended in 2022), he reflected on this expression for which he was reproached. The construction was already used in French in the XVe century, he says. In those days, it meant “doing something sensible.” Today, we would rather use it to mean “to give meaning, to become intelligible”.
It may well be that its use is influenced by English (which is not condemnable in itself), but this expression resembles other “fixed French expressions such as appeal, make difficulty, be silent, to wave “, he points out.
Word memberD to the feminin
Why the word member, when designating a person, is it always masculine? When I write “a member”, the automatic correctors show me an error or say: add to the dictionary.
Answer
We find member feminine in some sources, for example the Petit Robert of the French language where the Multidictionary of the French languagewhich specifies: “The OQLF now considers as epicene the name member in this sense. A member, a member. » She is a certified member of this professional order. She is an active member of the committee.