# arobas / arobase - Terme et usage



## James Brandon

The word "arobas" or "arobase" refers to the sign @ in French, known as "commercial at" or merely "at" in English. I have a few questions on usage and translation however, because it is not all clear to me, as follows:-

1 Is it "arobas" or "arobase" in French? I believe the latter is more common but the former does seem to be in use.
2 If "arobas" is used, is it pronounced in the same way as "arobase" or is there a special pronunciation, which I can't figure.
3 Isn't "arobas" in use in English up to a point, at any rate as a specialist typographical sign, because I seem to have seen it used in writing in an English document.

Thanks


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## Gardefeu

Here is a small article about the topic.
I daresay I've never seen (or heard) arobas myself...
About the English use of that word, I'm afraid I can't help you


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## FrançoisXV

arobase ( ou a commercial seulement pour les dictionnaires)
some say arobas, at, a rond, et pour ceux qui ne connaissent pas encore le nom: le gribouillis internet.
arobas ends in a -ass
arobase ends in a -aze


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## James Brandon

Thank you, and all the explanations and references have been very interesting. It sounds like the term is not used in English - I just wanted confirmation of it, really. As for the French version, your explanations and the link/document mentioned are enlightening. But that document mentions several times "_arrobe_" for "arobase", which I have never seen (in French or in English).


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## xavier335659

Travaillant dans l'informatique, je peux confirmer que le terme "arobas(e)" est bien utilisé. (perso je le prononce arobasse...)

Par traduction de l'anglais il arrive aussi que l'on entende "chez" pour @

Les "novices" parleront de "a entouré".


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## DearPrudence

I'm rubbish at computers but I say "arrobase" (which I pronounce "arrobaze") and say:
DearPrudence@yippie.com
"DearPrudence arrobase yippie point com"

Apparently not so many people use it  but I guess that if I say that to someone they will understand, won't they?


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## mplsray

xavier335659 said:
			
		

> Travaillant dans l'informatique, je peux confirmer que le terme "arobas(e)" est bien utilisé. (perso je le prononce arobasse...)
> 
> Par traduction de l'anglais il arrive aussi que l'on entende "chez" pour @
> 
> Les "novices" parleront de "a entouré".


 

Je n'aurais jamais pensé qu'il s'agissait d'une traduction de l'anglais quand un Français emploie "chez". C'est un terme _si _français ! Et puis, si l'on voulait dire _J'étais chez Paul, _dans le sens "I was at Paul's house", il serait nécessaire de garder l'apostrophe de possession : _I was at Paul's._


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## James Brandon

I don't know whether "chez" in French is a translation of "at" in English. But there is the idea that the email address is hosted somewhere, i.e. with an internet service provider (ISP), so "chez" does make sense, come to think of it. It could either be a translation from English or it could be a French word that was thought of because it was adapted to the situation and meaning - this, I don't know either.


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## Adamastor77

Voici une contribution peut-être pas très utile à ce débat, mais que je  trouve marrante:

J'ai déjà entendu quelquefois queue de singe (monkey's tail) pour le symbole @.

Est-ce que d'autres personnes l'ont déjà entendu ?


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## James Brandon

I have never heard it either in English or in French...


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## Adamastor77

Là, il y a un petit malentendu, par ma faute; mon dernier message porte en effet à confusion. 

Je n'ai entendu queue de singe qu'en français. Je ne l'ai jamais entendu en anglais. J'ai juste donné entre parenthèses la traduction de ce terme en anglais pour les anglophones.

Ce terme est par contre utilisé dans les langues allemande, néerlandaise et finlandaise. Voir lien ci-dessous: (le retaper avec les www collés)

w w w.arobase.org/culture/arobase.htm

Comme j'habite la Suisse Romande, il est peut-être possible que ce terme utilisé en français soit un helvétisme... Y aurait-il d'autres suisses romands sur ce fil pour confirmer ou infirmer cela ?


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## James Brandon

On a donc la version néerlandaise, allemande et finnoise de l'arobase! Effectivement, cette expression n'existe pas en anglais. Dans l'ensemble les gens disent juste "at" ou, quand ils décrivent le symbole, "commercial at", ainsi que ce Fil a confirmé.

Au fait, je viens de penser à quelque chose: est-ce "un arobase" ou "une arobase"? Je crois que c'est masculin. Merci de confirmer.


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## CARNESECCHI

Hello,
Before Internet, it was named "a commercial", as the signe "&" = eperluette was named "et commercial". The name "arobas" "arobase" "arrobas" and some other writings mean "a rond bas (de casse)" ; "bas de casse" = caractères courants (now, it means "minuscule"); "haut de casse" = "caractères moins fréquents", haut et bas = position of characters in the typographers' boxes ordering. Since "arobas" is modern, it must mean "a rond minuscule"
For keybords, "uppercase" and "lowercase" refer to the position of the carriage (hence "carriage return" for the "new line" key) on mechanical typewriters (up = majuscules, low = minuscules)
Hope it helps


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## James Brandon

This is very interesting in terms of the etymology. But is "arobase" masculine or feminine in French? It must be masculine, if it means "an 'a'" since letters are masculine in French (le 'a', le 'b', etc.).


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## CARNESECCHI

Hello,
http://www.langue-fr.net/index/A/arrobe.htm
It seems that though it's "un a commercial", it's "une arobe/arobase/arobas/arobace ..."

http://www.langue-fr.net/index/P/perluette.htm
Same thing, though it's "un et commercial", it's "une esperluette/eperluète/perluète..."


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## Aoyama

Par contre, pourquoi dire que @ (= at, d'accord) signifie _chez_ en anglais ? "à" commercial, d'accord (en fait _à_ comme _à 5€ pièces_ ; donc _au prix de_). Les asiatiques (Chinois, Coréens , Japonais) disent _at mark_ .


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## CARNESECCHI

Hello,


			
				Aoyama said:
			
		

> Par contre, pourquoi dire que @ (= at, d'accord) signifie _chez_ en anglais ? "à" commercial, d'accord (en fait _à_ comme _à 5€ pièces_ ; donc _au prix de_). Les asiatiques (Chinois, Coréens , Japonais) disent _at mark_ .


 
C'est dans une adresse de mail que "@" se lit "chez/at"
"_machin@wanadoo.com_" se lit "_machin at wanadoo dot com_" en anglais et "_machin chez wanadoo point com_" en français.


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## Aoyama

OK, makes sense.


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## xymox

Hi,

Just to add to the subject...   

I also work in the Information Technology area. In France, "arobasse/arobaze" are frequently used. However, in Canada, the terms "a commercial" or the English term "at" are more common.


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## omarkan

French people should say "at".


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## CARNESECCHI

omarkan said:
			
		

> French people should say "at".


 
English people should say "chez"


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## mplsray

CARNESECCHI said:
			
		

> Hello,
> Before Internet, it was named "a commercial", as the signe "&" = eperluette was named "é commercial". The name "arobas" "arobase" "arrobas" and some other writings mean "a rond bas (de casse)" ; "bas de casse" = caractères courants (now, it means "minuscule"); "haut de casse" = "caractères moins fréquents", haut et bas = position of characters in the typographers' boxes ordering. Since "arobas" is modern, it must mean "a rond minuscule"
> For keybords, "uppercase" and "lowercase" refer to the position of the carriage (hence "carriage return" for the "new line" key) on mechanical typewriters (up = majuscules, low = minuscules)
> Hope it helps


 

It is not at all settled that the "a rond bas" explanation is the correct etymology of the term "arobas". See, for example, the article (in French) at 

http://www.langue-fr.net/index/A/arrobe.htm


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## mplsray

CARNESECCHI said:
			
		

> Hello,
> Before Internet, it was named "a commercial", as the signe "&" = eperluette was named "é commercial".


 

Wasn't that, instead, "_et _commercial"?


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## CARNESECCHI

Hello,


			
				mplsray said:
			
		

> Wasn't that, instead, "_et _commercial"?


Yes, stupid mistake! I fix it!
Thanks!


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## manilia

How do French people say at - @- in the e-mail addresses? Thanks a lot for your help.


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## ultrasleek

We sometimes say "at" but most of the time it is "arobase".


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## El Dookie

I agree with ultrasleek


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## jierbe31

manilia said:


> How do French people say at - @- in the e-mail addresses? Thanks a lot for your help.



Hi,

We use the word *arobase*.
See here for more information.http://www.arobase.org/culture/arobase.htm


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## manilia

Thanks a lot guys, you've been very helpful


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## Gb56

I don't agree with you 
I mean when talking about an email address we (all the people i know !!) say 'at' but when speaking about the sign '@' we say 'arobase'...


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## Yittle

When saying aloud an e-mail address in French, is the most accepted (current) way to say the @ - "arobase" or simply "à"?
Ex. john.smith@xyz.net  said "john. . . point. . . smith. . . arobase (ou à). . . xyz. . . point. . . net"


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## Donaldos

Personnellement, je lirais "arobase".


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## Flore!

Moi je dis toujours "arobase", ou parfois "at" mais jamais "à"


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## Lacuzon

Flore! said:


> Moi je dis toujours "arobase", ou parfois "at" mais jamais "à"



Bonsoir,

Tout pareillement !


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