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6 Foreign Expressions You Should Know by TRWConsult(m): 5:49pm On Jan 18, 2016 |
6 Foreign Expressions You Should Know Whether you like it or not, foreign expressions represent an integral part of the English language (and of many other languages, too). Knowing the meaning and usage of the most used ones is very important. First of all because it will enable you to understand pieces of text that include them. Secondly, because you might also need to use those expressions on particular situations (avoid using them just to sound smart though). Below you will find 6 foreign expressions commonly used in English, enjoy! 1. De Facto De facto is a Latin expression that means “actual” (if used as an adjective) or “in practice” (if used as an adverb). In legal terms, de facto is commonly used in contrast to de jure, which means “by law.” Something, therefore, can emerge either de facto (by practice) or de jure (by law). Example: “And what of the plastic red bench, which has served as his de facto home for the last 15 years and must by now be a collector’s item?” (NY Times) 2. Vis-à-Vis The literal meaning of this French expression is “face to face” (used as an adverb). It is used more widely as a preposition though, meaning “compared with” or “in relation to.” Example: “It’s going to be a huge catalyst in moving the whole process forward and it really strengthens the U.S. position vis-a-vis our trading partners.” (Yahoo! News) 3. Status quo This famous Latin expression means “the current or existing state of affairs.” If something changes the status quo, it is changing the way things presently are. Example: “Bush believes that the status quo — the presence in a sovereign country of a militant group with missiles capable of hitting a U.S. ally — is unacceptable.” (Washington Post) 4. Cul-de-sac This expression was originated in England by French-speaking aristocrats. Literally it means “bottom of a sack,” but generally it refers to a dead-end street. Cul-de-sac can also be used metaphorically to express an action that leads to nowhere or an impasse. Example: “But the code of omerta was in effect for two carloads of fans circling the cul-de-sac to have a look at the house.” (Reuters.com) “A cul-de-sac of poverty.” (The Economist) 5. Per se Per se is a Latin expression that means “by itself” or “intrinsically.” Example: “The mistake it made with the Xbox is that there is no game console market per se; there are PlayStation, GameCube, and Xbox markets.” (PCMag.com) 6. Ad hoc Ad hoc, borrowed from the Latin, can be used both as an adjective, where it means “formed or created with a specific purpose,” and as an adverb, where it means “for the specific purpose or situation.” Example: “The World Bank’s board on Friday ordered an ad hoc group to discuss the fate of President Paul Wolfowitz.” (CNN) Credit: DWT 4 Likes 1 Share
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Re: 6 Foreign Expressions You Should Know by geez18(m): 6:29pm On Jan 18, 2016 |
nice one OP. i've always advocated for a revamp of the reading culture in this society;this is the way forward.enlightenment,the key to progress. |
Re: 6 Foreign Expressions You Should Know by Iamlordgee(m): 6:43pm On Jan 18, 2016 |
Op you are on point |
Re: 6 Foreign Expressions You Should Know by chukxie(m): 3:18am On Jan 19, 2016 |
Thanks for sharing. NL is like a classroom where knowledge is shared. I've just learned a thing from your post. Thanks again. |
Re: 6 Foreign Expressions You Should Know by Nobody: 3:26pm On Jan 19, 2016 |
But where is lalasticlala sef |
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