Foreign Phrases Commonly Used in English Created by, Laurie Stansbury ENG II

Foreign Phrases Commonly Used in English

Created by, Laurie Stansbury

ENG II

e.g. (exempli gratia)

• Meaning: for example

• Origin: Latin

• Additional Info: Literally “for the sake of an example.” Not to be confused with id est.

• Example: “There were several type of tree in the forest e.g. beech, oak, birch, maple.”

• Part of Speech: adverb (abbreviation)

RSVP

• Meaning: please reply

• Origin: French 1895-1900

• Additional Info: In French: répondez s’il vous plaît

• Example: “Don't forget to RSVP before Thursday.”

• Part of Speech: verb or noun

Déjà vu

• Meaning: illusion of having experienced something already

• Origin: French 1900 -1905• Additional Info: Can refer

to something which has in fact happened before or, more commonly, to a false sensation or illusion. Often carries an unpleasant or creepy connotation.

• Example: “I had a weird feeling of déjà vu as I entered the old house.”

• Part of Speech: noun

Faux pas

• Meaning: social blunder


• Additional Info: Literally “false step,” it is usually used for a breach of etiquette.

• Example: “She soon realized that she had committed a grave faux pas.”

• Synonyms: error, impropriety


Du jour

• Meaning: of the day

• Origin: French

early 20c. on menus

• Additional Info: As well as meaning food prepared for a particular day (e.g. soup du jour), it has come to mean anything fashionable, current or trendy.

• Example: “Environmentalism is the big issue du jour.”


Bon voyage

• Meaning: have a pleasant trip

• Origin: French 1490- 1500

• Additional Info: Used to express farewell and good wishes to a departing traveler.

• Example: “He yelled, ‘Bon Voyage’ as the ship pulled away from the dock.”

• Part of Speech: interjection

Alma mater

• Meaning: one’s old university or school

• Origin: Latin 1710

• Additional Info: Literally “nourishing mother.” The term also refers to a school's official song.

• Example: “My alma mater keeps asking me for donations.”


Cum laude

• Meaning: with honor; with praise


• Additional Info: used in diplomas to grant the lowest of three special honors for grades above the average.

• Example: “Work hard and you can graduate cum laude.”

• Part of Speech: adverb

• See Also: Magna cum laude (with great praise), summa cum laude (with highest praise)

Femme fatale

• Meaning: attractive, dangerous woman

• Origin: French

• Additional Info: Literally “deadly woman,” used to mean a woman likely to lead someone to ruin, even if not death.

• Example: “She had the air of a femme fatale, and I was instantly on my guard.”


Esprit De Corps

• Meaning: team spirit


• Additional Info: Military in origin, but now more generally applied.

• Example: The sales department was well known for its esprit de corps.

• Synonym: camaraderie, bonding, solidarity, fellowship


Verbatim

• Meaning: in exactly the same words

• Origin: Latin 1475-85

• Additional Info: skilled at recording word-for-word accuracy

• Example: Take down my speech verbatim.

• Part of Speech: adverb or adjective

E pluribus unum

• Meaning: out of many, one

• Origin: Latin• Additional Info: It refers

to the Union formed by the separate states. E pluribus unum was adopted as a national motto in 1776 and is now found on the Great Seal of the United States and on United States currency.

• Example: I’m old enough to remember when the motto of the USA was “e pluribus unum” not “in McDonalds we trust.”

• Part of Speech: Phrase

Prima donna

• Meaning: temperamental performer; first or principal singer in opera company

• Origin: Italian 1760-70

• Additional Info: Indicates a vain, difficult personality, but one who is indispensable due to their talent and style.

• Example: “She may be good, but what a prima donna!”


Avant-garde

• Meaning: radically original, cutting edge

• Origin: French 1475-85• Additional Info: Literally

“advance guard” or first to attack, applied to radically innovative movements in the arts, sometimes with a sarcastic suggestion of the bizarre or incomprehensible.

• Example: “It was all a bit avant-garde for my tastes.”

• Part of Speech: noun or adjective

Status quo

• Meaning: current state of affairs; state in which

• Origin: Latin 1825-35• Additional Info:

Sometimes used to give the impression of excessive safety and resistance to change.

• Example: “He’s too comfortable with the status quo.”


Joie de vivre

• Meaning: joy of life

• Origin: French

• Additional Info: Implies an openness to new experiences and an exuberance and effervescence.

• Example: “She was so full of joie de vivre that she was positively glowing.”


Carte blanche

• Meaning: a free hand, a blank cheque


• Additional Info: Literally “white (blank) card.”

• Example: “He gave me carte blanche to finish it any way I liked.”


Caveat emptor

• Meaning: let the buyer beware


• Additional Info: In the absence of a warranty, the buyer should take care what he is buying, and assumes the risk of the quality of a product.

• Example: “It’s a reliable store, but still, caveat emptor.”


Alpha and omega

• Meaning: the beginning and the end

• Origin: Greek

• Additional Info: The New Testament was first written in Greek. Alpha is the first letter of the Greek aplphabetand Omega is the last letter.

• Example: In the New Testament Book of Revelation, God says, “I am Alpha and Omega,” meaning that he is the beginning and end of all things.


Tabula rasa

• Meaning: empty slate• Origin: Latin 1525-35• Additional Info:

Starting from scratch with no preconceptions, it can suggest open-ended or open-minded.

• Example: “If we can start from a tabula rasa, then anything is possible.”


Hoi polloi

• Meaning: the masses; the common people

• Origin: Greek 1815-25

• Additional Info: Carries a contemptuous and condescending overtone.

• Example: “She never mixed with the hoi polloi.”


Ad nauseam

• Meaning: endlessly, to the point of nausea


• Additional Info: Stronger than ad infinitum, and with more of a sense of boredom.

• Example: “She showed us holiday snaps ad nauseam.”

• Part of Speech: adverb

Carpe Diem

• Meaning: seize the day

• Origin: Latin 16 c. & 17 c.

• Additional Info: Equivalent to “enjoy yourself, it’s later than you think” or “eat drink and be merry for tomorrow we die.”

• Example: “Carpe diem, boys, who knows what tomorrow brings.”

• Part of Speech: phrase or noun

Tempus fugit

• Meaning: time flies

• Origin: Latin

• Additional Info: Often with a surprised or wistful undertone.

• Example: “Ah, tempus fugit. It seems like only yesterday that we first met.”

• Part of Speech: phrase

C’est la vie

• Meaning: that’s life

• Origin: French

• Additional Info: An expression of resignation or submission to Fate.

• Example: “Sometimes all you can say is C’est la vie.”

• Part of Speech: phrase

Bona fide

• Meaning: in good faith

• Origin: Latin

1935-45

• Additional Info: More generally (outside the more legal meaning) it means genuine or authentic.

• Example: “He was a bona fide noble of the realm.”

• Part of Speech: adjective

Savior faire

• Meaning: social tact


• Additional Info: Literally “knowing how to do,” it is usually applied to higher social circles, but could equally well apply to any other circles.

• Example: “He showed a deal of savoir faire in adjusting to his new position.”


Non sequitur

• Meaning: something that doesn’t follow


• Additional Info: This can either refer to spurious or illogical reasoning, or to any statement which is out of place or off the point in a conversation.

• Example: “Sorry, you’ve lost me. That was a complete non sequitur.”


i.e. (id est)

• Meaning: that is


• Additional Info: Denotes an alternative explanation or formulation of what went before, not an example of it. See also exempli gratia (e.g.)

• Example: “She took her opinions to their logical conclusion, i.e. she killed him.”

• Part of Speech: Phrase

Enfant terrible

• Meaning: prodigy, boy/girl wonder

• Origin: French 1851• Additional Info:

There is also an undertone of exasperating and unmanageable in the terrible as well as brilliant.

• Example: “He was considered the enfant terrible of his day, hugely talented but troublesome.”


Terra firma

• Meaning: firm or solid land


• Additional Info: Usually used to make a contradistinction from weeks or months at sea.

• Example: “It was with great gratitude that he stood on terra firma once more.”


Vox populi

• Meaning: popular opinion or sentiment

• Origin: Latin

• Additional Info: Literally “voice of the people.”

• Example: “We should go with the vox populi on that one.”


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Foreign Phrases Commonly Used in English Created by, Laurie Stansbury ENG II