Leasing

The tenth entry is le coût du kilomètre supplémentaire, and the adjective at the end of it is a word an English reader recognises and then puts in the wrong register. « Supplementary » is a quiet and rather formal word in English: a supplementary question at the despatch box, a supplementary report, something appended to a document already written. Supplémentaire is the everyday French word for extra, and it does work that « supplementary » never does. Les heures supplémentaires are overtime, the hours worked beyond the contract and paid at a higher rate, and no payslip anywhere calls those supplementary hours. Un kilomètre supplémentaire is a kilometre driven past the agreed allowance, which is why this entry is the excess mileage charge and not a supplementary cost. Une nuit supplémentaire is one more night, un effort supplémentaire one more push. The family holds one further surprise: out of the same Latin supplere, to fill up, French made le suppléant, the person who fills in for another — a deputy, a supply teacher, a reserve judge. « Supplement » has never named a human being.