If you’ve ever been in a situation where you’ve stumbled – either physically or verbally – and caused confusion that affected both you and the people around you, you’ve been in a contretemps. This French word (which might be literally translated as “against the tempo”) was originally used in the art of fencing, to describe a mistimed movement in the stylized, orderly dance of swords. Today, when French musicians are playing à contretemps, it means they’re playing on the “off” beat. You might say that a contretemps is a situation in which you are “out of synch.”

As we mentioned above, a contretemps can involve either a physical or a non-physical encounter. A more modern usage of the word describes a dispute, perhaps one that involves physical force, but nothing excessive. If you say that your argument with a cabdriver over your fare led to a contretemps involving two other cabdrivers and a policeman, then there might have been some arm-waving, shoving, or yelling in faces, but nothing violent (no fists, no guns).

In another sense, a contretemps is an awkward social situation that you’ve accidentally created by making a faux pas (a phrase we’ll talk about in another post) that caused embarrassment or inconvenience, for yourself or for others.

Example 1: Foreigners are required to carry their identification card with them at all times in Japan, though tourists often forget this law, which often leads to contretemps with local authorities.

Example 2: The lack of adequate signage in the parking areas at the football stadium is the cause of many contretemps between drivers as they argue over right-of-way.

Many words and phrases from French, Latin, and Italian are used in English to provide a sophisticated and nuanced way of communicating concepts. Next week, we’ll look at more terms you can learn and use to give your English vocabulary a Continental flair.