A handy guide to the meanings and origins of the many foreign
phrases we use every day. English as we know it today is enriched
with many borrowings and influences from other languages.
Aficionado, chutzpah, pro bono, hoi polloi, ketchup, nous,
zeitgeist - we use these foreign words every day without thinking
of their origins, but what do they actually mean? And just how and
why did we English speakers absorb such exotic imports? Each phrase
has a fascinating history; colonialism, foreign trade, invasion and
immigration all have their role to play in the evolution of our
language. Did you know, for example, that 'lingua franca' is
Italian for 'Frankish language' - a name given to a mixed common
language used by diplomats of different nationalities in medieval
times? Or that the seemingly modern 'bandana' comes from the
Sanskrit for the ancient Indian technique of tie-dying fabric? A
Certain Je Ne Sais Quoi is an accessible and entertaining treasury
of information that 'connoisseurs' (French) of the English language
will love!
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