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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