changement de pied: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
LowSpecialist/Technical
Quick answer
What does “changement de pied” mean?
A movement in classical ballet where the dancer switches the position of the feet in the air during a jump.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A movement in classical ballet where the dancer switches the position of the feet in the air during a jump.
Any swift or skillful change of position or strategy, often used metaphorically.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Identical in technical dance usage. Slight potential for more frequent figurative use in British English journalistic contexts.
Connotations
Connotes agility, precision, and a degree of showmanship or skill.
Frequency
Very low frequency in general corpora; its use is almost exclusively confined to dance contexts and metaphorical extensions from it.
Grammar
How to Use “changement de pied” in a Sentence
The dancer executed [a] changement de pied.He performed [several] changements de pied.Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “changement de pied” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- She changements de pied with remarkable ease.
- They were practising how to changement de pied.
American English
- He changements de pied across the stage.
- You need to changement de pied more crisply.
adverb
British English
- N/A
American English
- N/A
adjective
British English
- N/A
American English
- N/A
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
The CEO's changement de pied on the merger surprised the market.
Academic
The paper analyses the ideological changements de pied of the political movement.
Everyday
Rarely used in everyday conversation.
Technical
The student must demonstrate a clean changement de pied from fifth position.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “changement de pied”
- Pronouncing 'changement' as English 'change-ment' (/tʃeɪndʒmənt/).
- Using it to mean any simple change.
- Incorrect plural: 'changement de pieds' (should remain 'changement de pied' in plural references).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is a loanphrase from French, used in English primarily in the context of ballet. It is considered a specialized technical term.
The plural is typically 'changements de pied', keeping the French structure. The phrase is often treated as a single lexical unit.
It would sound highly unusual and pretentious unless you are deliberately making a metaphor related to dance or agile strategy.
Mispronouncing it as if it were an English phrase (e.g., /ˈtʃeɪndʒmənt diː paɪd/) instead of attempting the French pronunciation.
A movement in classical ballet where the dancer switches the position of the feet in the air during a jump.
Changement de pied is usually specialist/technical in register.
Changement de pied: in British English it is pronounced ˌʃɑ̃ːʒmɒ̃ də ˈpjeɪ, and in American English it is pronounced ʃɑːnʒˈmɑːn də pjeɪ. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Pull a changement de pied (figurative, rare): to make a surprising strategic shift.”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: 'Change' + 'ment' (the act of) + 'de pied' (of the foot) = the act of changing the foot.
Conceptual Metaphor
AGILITY IS A BALLET MOVE; A STRATEGIC SHIFT IS A DANCE STEP.
Practice
Quiz
In which field did the term 'changement de pied' originate?