What is the literal translation of pas de deux?

Answer 1

Salut: Answer: Literally, it is 'step of two'. Yeah, I know; it makes no sense. In dance, it is applied to 2 dancers performing together. Now, it makes better sense, oui?

(from another thread) IMPROVED: Salut: The answers below are fine, but this might help (I teach it to english speakers). Keep in mind that these are exercises, and not necessarily truisms to the french language. The first thing to do is to hold the mouth as if it were full of air; and say pah. Make the P sound so that none of the air escapes. Say de as if it were der (as in under), but, as said below, cut off the 'end' of the R sound (again, not letting any air escape). Here's the tricky one. It is not the same sound as the de. Say the de sound again, but this time place a Y between the d and the er, and finish the sound with the mouth prepared to say a U, but don't. Again, let no air escape the mouth. Practice; it's not that hard... just unfamiliar. Bonne chance.

Answer 2

In French it means "step for two."

In English it can mean a dance for two people, or any other kind of "symbolic" dance... an intricate relationship or activity for two people.

Answer 3

Qu'est-ce que 'pas de deux lorsqu'il est traduit du français vers l'anglais ?