Faux Pas?

📖 The Scoop

Have you ever been taken aback by the chutzpahof some people who dot their conversation with foreign words and phrases? Meeting someone like this, especially if they are a honcho, can result in a mauvais quart d'heurefor you - but it's fun to consider whether they are indeed multi-lingual and multi-talented, or whether there is another reason for the floweriness of their language… vizuber-pretentious, ersatzsophistication?

Thousands of foreign words and phrases have been absorbed into the language and are currently used in English, from the everyday (macho, tête-á-tête, spaghetti) to the relatively obscure (ultra vires, auto-da-fe). Le mot justefocuses on familiar terms and expressions as well as those that are new, curious or amusing.

Each expression is 'translated', with an indication of its language of origin and pronunciation, a comment on its usefulness and occasionally a Pretentiousness Index. All terms are illustrated with examples drawn from daily contexts ranging from newspapers and advertisements to TV and radio.

Genre: No Category (fancy, right?)