I've noticed that, unlike most boards, there seems to be a fair representation of English/British people here, so perhaps my comment/question will make more sense.

It concerns the French importation - chaise longue - which literally means 'long chair', and refers to a sofa with only one arm rest. Every American I know refers to it as a chaise lounge. This changes spelling, pronunciation and literal meaning. Serendipitously, of course, it evokes the image of someone lounging in this sofa, which is quite apposite, given the use to which it is put.

My questions, such as they are, are these:

1. Has anyone else noticed this tendency, and not just amongst people from the USA?

2. Does anyone have an opinion on whether or not this form will eventually predominate?

3. Do any of the language mavens here have strong normative opinions regarding this phrase? Being English and mildly traditional myself, when it comes to language, I usually deplore the apparent corruption of a good phrase, but I find the 'lounge' idea quite fascinating.

cheer

the sunshine warrior

Postscript: One of the best (in normative terms) users of English I know, is a Professor of Philosophy in Los Angeles, and she was surprised when I pointed out to her that she used the lounge, rather than the original longue, version of this phrase, since she had never thought about it before.