French language Q&A Forum

(I saw a related question below, but didn't see how to link this question to that one... so I'm starting a new question.)

My question is about how to think about the meaning of "ainsi que." It's translated as "as well as," but in some examples I run into a singular treatment when my brain seems to expect a plural. I think the lesson here for me is that this isn't a translation that works in some cases. I'm wondering if my feeling is true for American English but maybe not for other varieties?

Here's the sentence that tripped me up:

Les Etats-Unis, ________ l'Angleterre, sont un pays anglophone.The United States, as well as England, is an anglophone country.
In English, I actually wouldn't say a sentence like in the translation above - I would say "The United States, like England, is an anglophone country." OR "The United States and England are anglophone countries." I just wouldn't use "as well as" in that way. So my takeaway is that I shouldn't lean in to heavily on using this as a 1-for-1 translation. Does this work better in, say, British English? Thanks.

Can you say:

Je suis allée à Paris ainsi que à Bordeaux. 

For example : Can « Ainsi le nom » mean « that’s why the name.»?

The following sentence has the verb following 'que'. Is this OK?  

C'est ainsi que se termine cette histoire.That's how this story ends.
Shouldn't it be:C'est ainsi que cette histoire se termine.

I used "de même qu'". Can you explain why this isn't correct in this context, please?

In the poem "Tristesses de la lune" by Charles Baudelaire, there is a usage of "ainsi que" like:"Ce soir, la lune rêve avec plus de paresse ; Ainsi qu'une beauté..."

First I failed to include this usage to any of the ones above. However, I'm now inclined to think that it means "this way... that". An explanation would be great. Thanks.

Can I say "juste comme" for "just as"?

On the ainsi que lesson there is the following section:

ATTENTION:

There seems to be a bit of discrepancy in the lessons, the exercises, and a response to a question in the discussions.

a)First the response in the discussion... where  Ainsi que  starts the sentence, it seems to make the verb straight forward.

Ainsi que l'italien et l'espagnol, le Français dérive du latin. Very unambiguous that the 'the french'  is the singular subject of the verb dériver.

b)The answers to the 'test recommended' provided me.

 Les Etats-Unis, ainsi que  l'Angleterre, sont un pays anglophone. Here the verb is 'plural BECAUSE  the subject is  The United States, but the associate nouns and adjectives are singular because it is ONE  COUNTRY.  Ok so far I think.

c) But in the discussion.

Le français ainsi que l'italien dérivent du latin ( French and Italian) hence a plural verb.

vs

"L'Angleterre, ainsi que la France, a combattu l'Allemagne en 1914." in the lesson.

 Shouldn't the verb be 'ont combattu' . And if so maybe a short comment re the  gender and plurality of the verb be added to the lesson.