"Artist" vs "Artiste"
 

I've always wondered why people in Singapore, Taiwan, HK, Malaysia, China (basically the Chinese-speaking part of Asia) have to spell artist as "artiste"? Does it somehow make the word more special (honestly, it sounds more pretentious to my ear)? What is wrong with just "artist"? Is there some sort of historical borrowing from the French language that I am not familiar with? Can it be traced to the days of French Indochina?

I mean, in the rest of Asia (like where I am), it's plain and simple "artist".

Really, I'm genuinely curious, and I don't mean to offend anyone :)

It could be, honestly.

I've never seen it...so I dont know...but that would be my best guess.

Well the japanese hybrid for artist is アーティスト (Aatisuto) that's the reason you hear artiste in Japan, I don't know about the other countries though.

well, i think its because artiste (pronounced artEEst) sounds classier and more impressive to some people. :shrug

i've come across it in the US before. i think its just a preference thing, some people think it sounds better.

Well both works actually~ Though now looking at it, artiste seems more appropriate for singers

An artist is anyone engaged in the fine or performing arts, such as a painter, sculptor, actor, or entertainer

An artiste is usually a singer or dancer, or else a person skilled in a special craft

But it just depends on preference I guess...though in Taiwan, I see "artist" more

I swear I never seen artiste O.O

really? i guess you seldom read my posts because i usually use 'artiste' instead of artist.just like pommy said,i usually think that 'artist' is more to an actor/actress or art related while 'artiste' is more to music related

:/ Not in American English.

There's no difference between the two, but it could be different in Asia...especially since, I'm fairly certain they don't learn American English, but British English and, I've seen them use little things Europeans do too...like this lol

It's probably all of these things.

Interesting that there's a difference though. I've only heard artiste being used to denote someone that, like pommy said, was skilled in an extremely high and demanding craft...

but in the US, "artist" is used for everyone.

You probably don't care about it but the difference between an 'artiest' (arttEEEst) and 'artieste' (arttEEEste) (that's my language) it's the gender. Artiest is a male, artieste is female.

And that's dutch. I know, it doesn't have anything to do with your question; but you need to learn every day something new, don't you?

from my vucabulary it seems like both artist and artiste are correct forms and can be used for both genders

Aren't Artist and Artiste the same? I mean technically they mean the same thing and artiste isn't specifically used for singers or dancers and likewise for artist.

I personally don't use artiste and I only see people use artiste in AHS.

Thanks, everyone, for your replies!

We use American English in this part of Asia. Also, India has been colonized by the British, but I wouldn't know anyone who would use "artiste" when referring to an artist.

Personally, it sounds so pretentious to me, as though Frenchifying a word makes it sound classier and more important. Artiste conjures up people in black with pencil moustaches and noses in the air poo-pooing anything that isn't fine caviar, wine, or art. "This speaks to me. It is the work of an ARTISTE!" Really, now. What century are you in? :)

Artist and artiste mean the same thing, but the connotations of each are worlds apart.

I guess "artiste" is more Chinese English than anything else? Brits don't use the word in the same way, either.

By the way, "artiste" is not used in Japan either for ordinary situations unless it's to make something sound more highfalutin. Artist (Aatisuto translates to Artist) is the word used in Japanese music.

I agree with this~ It's like caramel (CAHrmel) vs. caramel (cahrahmel) :laugh

^lol no! I got used to saying caramel...

Carmel is like...not even how the word is spelled :P lol

I have yet to hear someone use artiste.
And I live in England.

I hardly ever hear "artiste" unless someone is like, aiming for a certain effect like sarcasm or glorifying someone. It sounds silly (to my American ears I guess) to use it always when referring to whatever sort of artist IMO.

^What she said.

maybe it's an arcaism...

I dont think artiste is the correct English to use in Malaysia :shrug

We are actually use artist more often.

I've never seen/heard/read/whatever anyone use artiste in a serious manner. When I do, they mean it in a sarcastic/making fun manner. For example, I find that on some cartoon shows when an average character tries to take on a job related to the arts they tell the other characters in a snobbish voice "I'm an artiste now!" and the other characters roll their eyes. There is a specific show I saw this on, but I can't remember what it was, maybe Spongebob? I've always just seen artiste as trying to sound like a wannabe classier way of saying artist, but I don't see it as any different from artist. Not to criticize anyone who does use it, that's just the ways its become for me.