'Plucked Plumes from Foreign tongues’

7/27/2019 'Plucked Plumes from Foreign tongues

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Plucked Plumes from Foreign tongues: Invaluable knick-knacks of English

Indranil Sarkar

English is now a 1000 years old language. The dialect of a few thousand Britons in the British Isles o

10th century has taken the shape of a huge giant and has occupied the foremost position in almost a

global arenas ousting even the erstwhile classical and authoritarian languages like Latin, Greek

French, and Sanskrit. The 2012 edition of the Oxford Dictionary (the Bible of English) has crossed th

threshold of 1 million words. This massive empirical power of English has been developed because of

few uniquely flexible features inherent in it. The main is, obviously, the characteristic-virtue o

borrowing words from almost all the sources under the sun. The opposite of which has put the death

nail to the erstwhile domineering and authoritative languages like Latin, Sanskrit, French, and Gree

etc. Though loosers, a few words from French, Latin and Greek have achieved an ornamental status i

English today. These are considered pearls and gems in English usages. No English user can resist th

temptation of using them to make his language weighty and attractive. It is, as if, a beautificatio

device of ones speech and writing. The occasional use of these words and phrases borrows a scholast

flavour to ones academic endeavours. These are used even in casual conversation of day to da

activities at present. Unlike other languages, the use of foreign words in English is not considered

stylistic vice. It is rather considered a virtue. Truly speaking, the greatness of scholars like Bacon

Milton, and Hazlitt etc. rests primarily on their affinity to Greco-Roman or Franco-Italian cultura

heritages expressed through their languages.

The following foreign words are seen most frequently used in day to day English:-1. Ab initio (Latin) From the beginning.

2. Aborigine (Latin) Native, any of the earliest known inhabitants of a certain region.

3. Ad hoc (Latin) For the special purpose.

4. Ad interim (Latin) In the meantime; temporary.


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7. Ad referendum (Latin) For further consideration.

8. A Dio (Italian) To God; Addio! Adieu!

9. Aide (French) An assistant, a helper, a mate.

10. Ajax (Latin, Greek) The Greek hero next to Achilles in the Trojan war.

11. Alopecia (Latin, Greek) Fox mange : a skin disease, which destroys the hair; baldness.

12. Alter ego (Latin) Ones second self, a very close friend, a representative.

13. Affair damour (French) A love affair.

14. Ala mode (French) According to the custom; in fashion.

15. Alma Mater (Latin) Benign mother; A term applied by students to the school,

college or university where they have been educated.

16. Anno Christi (Latin) In the year of Christ.

17. Anno Dontini (Latin) In the year of Christ.

18.. Ante Meridiem (Latin) Before noon.

19. Ars longa, vita brevis (Latin) Art is long, life is short.

20. Au contraire (Latin) On the contrary.

21. Beau garcon (French) A handsome man.

22. Beau jour (French) Fine day, good times.

23. Beaux-arts (French) The fine arts.

24. Beneficiary (French) The person receiving benefits.

25. Billet-doux (French) A love letter.

26. Bonn fide (Latin) In good faith.

27. Bon hoinie (French) Good nature.

28. Bonjour (French) Good day; Good morning.

29. Bon voyage (French) A good journey to you.


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30. Boutique (French) A shop. Tradesmans stock.

31. Bourgeoisie (French) The social class between the aristocracy and the

. Working class; Middle Class

32. Bravo (Italian) Well done; splendid.

33. Carpe diem (Latin) Enjoy the present day.

34. Cara sposa (Italian) Dear wife.

35. Chef (French) A cook in charge of a kitchen; head cook

36. Chesara Sara (Italian) What will be will be.

37. Cognito, ergo sum (Latin) I think, therefore, I am.

38. Coiffeur (French) Hair dresser.

39. Contra (Latin) Against.

40. Corpus (Latin) The body of a man or animal, especially a dead body.

41. Danke, Schoon (German) Many thanks.

42. De facto (Latin) In fact, actually.

43. De jure (Latin) In the law; by right.

44. Dei gratin (Latin) By the grace of God.

45. Deluxe (French) Luxurious.

46. Dennode (French) Out of fashion.

47. Detenu (French) A prisoner.

48. Deus ex machina (Latin) A character or event brought artificially into the plot of a story

or drama to settle an involved situation.

49. Distrait (French) Absent minded.

50. Dramatis personae (Latin) Characters in a drama or a play.

51. Donna e mobile (Italian) Woman is changeable.

52. Duce (Italian) A leader.


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53. Ecce! (Latin) Behold!

54. Elegant (French) A person of fashion.

55. Elite (French) The best part.

56. En famille (French) With ones family; at home; in an informal way.

57. En masse (French) In a group, universally.

58. En queue (French) In a string or line.

59. En rapport (French) In agreement, in accord with.

60. En route (French) On the way.

61. Entrepreneur (French) A business man.

62. Errare est liumaru in (Latin) To err is human.

63. Estancia (Spanish) A mansion.

64. Et tu, Brute ! (Latin) You too, Brutus!(Caesars exclamation, when he saw his much

loved Brutus amongst the murderers.)

65. Euge! (Latin, Greek) Well done!

66. Eureka (Meureka) (Greek) I have found it.

67. Ex officio (Latin) By virtue of his office.

68. Ex post facto (Latin) After the deed is done; done or made after wards.

69. Extra (Latin) Beyond, outside the scope of.

70. Fade (French) To become less distinct.

71. Festa (Italian) A festival.

72. Flair (French) Aptitude; a natural talent or ability.

73. Gallant (French) Gay, elegant, attentive to ladies.

74. Gens de letters (French) Literary man.

75. Grand (French) Great.


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76. Heil (German) Flail!

77. In toto (Latin) In the whole; entirely.

78. Impasse (French) A deadlock.

79. In memoriam (Latin) In the memory of.

80. In petto (Italian) Secretly, not revealed.

81. Inter alia (Latin) Among other things.

82. Kinder (German) Children.

83. Lallegro (Italian) The cheerful man.

84. Libra (Latin) A pound; a unit of weight.

85. Lingua franca (Italian) Mixed language.

86. Litterateur (French) A man of letters.

87. Magnum opus (Latin) A great work.

88. Matinee (French) Reception or entertainment held in the afternoon.

89. Milieu (French) Surroundings; environment.

90. Modus (Latin) Manner, mode.

91. Modus operandi (Latin) Manner of working.

92. Monsieur (French) Sir, Mr.

93. Monand (French) My friend.

94. Nil (Latin) Nothing.

95. Non (Latin) Not.

96. Oninia vincist labor (Latin) Labour overcomes all things.

97. Opera (Latin) Plural of opus. Musical works of a composer

numbered in order of composition or publication.

98. Oil (French) yes.


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99. Par excellence (French) Eminently, beyond comparison.

100. Persona grata (Latin) A person who is acceptable or welcome.

101. Postmortem (Latin) Happening done or made after death.

102. Post (Latin) After, e.g., afternoon.

103. Prima facie (Latin) On first view.

104.Quantum (Latin) Quantity, or amount.

105. Quasi (Latin) As if, seemingly.

106. Resume (French) An abstract or summary.

107. R.S.V.P. (Reponds si1 : Reply, if you please, an answer will oblige. vous plait) (French)

108. Suns souci (French) without care.

109. Sine die (Latin) Without a day being appointed.

110. Status quo (Latin) The existing state of existing affair.

111. Terra incognita (Latin) An unknown country.

112. Tete-a-tete (French) A private or intimate conversation between two people.

113. Vice versa (Latin) The order or relation being reversed, conversely.

114. Vis-a-vis (French) Opposite; face to face.

115. Viva voce (Latin) By word of mouth; orally.

116. Vive la (French) Long live!

117. Vaux Populi Voice of the people

It would, however, be wrong to hold this practice as a modern or postmodern phenomenon. It is

rather a scholastic tendency which began when the sun did never set in the British empire.

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'Plucked Plumes from Foreign tongues’

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