Derailleur gears operates the lever while pedalling, the change in cable tension moves the chain-guide from side to side, "derailing" the chain onto different sprockets. For more information about the choice of particular gear ratios and sprocket sizes, see Bicycle gearing. "Derailleur" is a French word, spelled "dérailleur" in French, derived from the derailment of a train from its tracks. Its first recorded use was 1930. At least one notable bicycle industry author has attempted to promote the anglicized spelling of "derailer". As of 2013, however, neither Merriam-Webster nor the Oxford English Dictionary has an entry for "derailer". Various derailleur systems were
Influence of French on English Influence of French on English There has been a long-standing influence of French on English, in terms of syntax, grammar, lexicon, spelling and pronunciation. Most French vocabulary that entered English occurred after the Norman conquest of England in 1066 and the establishment of a French-speaking administration. French became the language of the court, the administration and the elites for several centuries, until after the Hundred Years War. English has been constantly influenced by French from that time till present day. According to Laura K. Lawless, more than a third of the current English vocabulary is of French origin. According to