Jack's House

I dare say I caused the confusion by forgetting that in French one doesn't pronounce the consonants at the ends of numerous words.

According to AI Overview, which seems to  have taken over from Professor Google as the font of all knowledge, the French stopped pronouncing consonants at the ends of many of their words gradually between the 1300s and 1700s. So now it's correct not to pronounce the t at the end of "quart" and "port".

A similar change is happening much more rapidly in English. Young Ahmed, whom I help improve his English, is convinced it's correct to say such as firs' an' las' or eatin' an' drinkin', because that's what he hears, even on the BBC.  I suppose he's right.  "Correct" English pronunciation has changed rather suddenly.

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Another true story!

I was sitting on my balcony watching the sunset, listening to the roar of the ocean. My phone rang. It was my companion who works in the fishing port.

"Je suis a la porte."

"Ah, oui. Tu est au port. Quand tu arrive ici?"

Non. Je suis a la porte maintenant."

" Oui, tu est au port. Mais quelle heure tu fini?"

" Non, non, non! Je frappe la PORTE. Ouvri la porte!“

I say port, you say porte: let's call the whole thing off!

Another true story:

Many years ago in Juan les Pins, I was in a restaurant where they served the "house" wine in jugs - quarter litre or half litre.

I ordered "un quart de vin rouge".

They brought me the "carte des vins!"

The two halves of a chicken will be equivalent. How do you know what you're getting if you order a quarter?