The spelling "EN ARERE" may seem confusing, but it is actually quite straightforward when using the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA). The first syllable, "EN," is pronounced like the letter "N" and is followed by the sound "AH" (as in "father"). The second syllable, "ARERE," is pronounced with a long "A" sound (as in "care") followed by the "R" sound, and then another long "A" sound. So, the full pronunciation of "EN ARERE" would be /ɛn ɑː'rɛrɛ/.
The word "en arrière" has its origins in the French language.
The word "en" is a preposition that means "in" or "on" in English, and "arrière" is an adjective that translates to "behind" or "back". Therefore, "en arrière" can be literally translated as "in the back" or "behind".
The etymology of the individual components is as follows:
- "En" comes from the Latin preposition "in" which has the same meaning of "in" or "on". It entered Old French as "en" and has remained unchanged in modern French.
- "Arrière" comes from the Old French word "arere" which means "back" or "rear". It originated from the Late Latin word "adretrus", meaning "toward the back".