![]() ![]() Do you recognize any of them? (By the way, all these phrases, when not being presented as phrases to be defined, are usually printed in roman type.)Īd infinitum (AD-in fi-NY-tum) means to infinity, endlessly, without limit: “The meeting went on ad infinitum.” (Now there’s hyperbole for you.) Now let’s take a brief look at six phrases from Latin that have made their way into the English vernacular: ad infinitum pro tempore sine qua non quid pro quo caveat emptor and pro bono publico. All people are wondering now is how and when the coup de grâce will be delivered.” Coup de grâce means literally a stroke of mercy specifically, it refers to the finishing stroke, the death blow, that brings a merciful end to something or someone: “After the failure of its last major product and a precipitous decline in the price of its stock, Faux Pas Corporation is almost bankrupt. A coup d’état (KOOday- TAH) is a sudden, successful overthrow of a government. The word coup (KOO) means a blow, stroke-especially a brilliant stroke, a sudden, successful move or action. Qui vive (kee-VEEV) is the sentry’s challenge, “Who goes there?” In English we use the expression “on the qui vive” to mean on the alert, ready and watchful, as “She was on the qui vive for a better job.”įinally, we have the coup de grâce (KOO-duh- GRAHS). In The Joys of Yinglish (1989), Leo Rosten relates the story of the defendant accused of murdering his parents who throws himself upon the mercy of the court, crying, “I am an orphan.” That’s chutzpah.īut back now to the French. Someone who walks in, takes over, and tells everyone what to do has chutzpah. Chutzpah means nerve as opposed to verve, shameless self-assurance, audacity, impudence, gall. There is an excellent Yiddish word for the negative side of élan that English has recently adopted: chutzpah (or chutzpa), pronounced KH UUTS-pah with a raspy, guttural ch. Lan (ay-LAH(N)or ay-LAHN) means spirited self-assurance, verve, vivacity: “Her work shows élan.” “We like the new manager’s élan.” “He plays the piano with élan.” The plural, bons mots, is pronounced baw(n)-MOHZ. ![]() In English it is used to mean a witty or clever remark. “Math was my bête noire in high school.” “He is my bête noire in this organization.” The plural is bêtes noires, pronounced bayt- or bet-NWAHRZ.īon mot (baw(n)-MOH) means literally a good word. In English this phrase is used to mean an error or blunder, especially a social blunder, such as a tactless act or rude remark: “Did you see his faux pas at the party last night?” “I think her criticism of the boss’s idea was a faux pas.” The plural is spelled the same, but pronounced foh-PAHZ.īête noire (bayt- or bet-NWAHR) means literally a black beast, and means someone or something one especially dislikes, fears, or wants to avoid. Do you recognize any of them? (By the way, all but the last, coup de grâce, are usually printed in roman rather than italic type: this is roman this is italic.)Ī faux pas (foh-PAH) is literally a false step. Here are six useful expressions that English has borrowed from French: faux pas bête noire bon mot élan qui vive and coup de grâce. While you’re refueling your brain with oxygen, let’s take a look at a few foreign words and phrases. ![]() Now it’s time for a respite (pronounced RES-pit, remember?) from your quotidian task of vocabulary building. ![]()
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