Vocabulary - Foreign Phrases
English contains many words and phrases borrowed from other languages. Here are some examples, and what they mean:
- Bon voyage - French for "pleasant journey"
- Ciao - Italian for both "hello" and "goodbye"
- Ad hoc - Latin for "for the purpose"
- Sturm und Drang - German for "storm and stress"
- Schmuck - Yiddish for "a stupid person" (slang)
Worksheet 1 - Yiddish
Yiddish is a language spoken by Jews, based on Hebrew and provincial dialects of German, with a few Balto-Slavic words thrown in.
What do the following words or phrases derived from Yiddish mean? You will need to look some of them up in a dictionary, but see how many you know without turning to a dictionary. Many of these words have entered American and South African slang.
- schlemiel
- schlimazel
- schlock
- schmalz
- schmo
- schlep
- schnozzle (schnoz)
- schnorrer
- shtick
- shtoom
- shtook
- shlenter
- yarmulka
How many other Yiddish words do you know?
Worksheet 2 - Latin
The island of Britain was invaded by the Romans in 55 B.C. When the English invaded some five hundred years later they took many Latin words into their language. Latin remained the main language of the Church and hence of learning in Europe, and was also a lingua franca, allowing different nations to communicate. Many Latin words and phrases entered English for this reason, especially legal phrases.
What do the following words or phrases derived from Latin mean and how are they used? You will need to look some of them up in a dictionary, but see how many you know without turning to a dictionary.
- quid pro quo
- sine die
- in vino veritas
- carpe diem
- ars gratia artis
- de minimis non curat lex
- deus ex machina
- festina lente
- non compos mentis
- omnia vincit amor
- sine qua non
- quod erat demonstrandum
- pro bono
- de facto
- de jure
How many other Latin words do you know?
Worksheet 3 - French
In 1066 A.D. the Normans invaded England, bringing with them, French. In addition, French, as the diplomatic lingua franca, introduced many words and phrases into English. Perhaps over-use of French where English words would do may be considered bad style, but French has served English as both a source of utility and elitism.
What do the following French words or phrases mean, and how would you use them? Try without using a dictionary first! Accents and other notations have been left out - so you should supply them. Eg. t�te-a-t�te.
- tete-a-tete
- agent provocateur
- esprit de corps
- cadre
- chaperon
- chassis
- debris
- force majeur
- laissez-faire
- chauffeur
- aide-de-camp
- beau
- billet-doux
- blase
- fait accompli
- repondez s'il vous plait (RSVP)
How many other French words and phrases do you know?
Exercise
Make a list of other foreign words which have entered English, and what they mean. If English is your second language, concentrate on the words which have been derived from your home language!
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