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    A Certain Je Ne Sais Quoi: Words We Pinched From Other Languages
    A Certain Je Ne Sais Quoi: Words We Pinched From Other Languages
    A Certain Je Ne Sais Quoi: Words We Pinched From Other Languages
    Ebook203 pages2 hours

    A Certain Je Ne Sais Quoi: Words We Pinched From Other Languages

    By Chloe Rhodes

    3.5/5

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    About this ebook

    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!
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherMichael O'Mara
    Release dateSep 10, 2009
    ISBN9781843176718
    A Certain Je Ne Sais Quoi: Words We Pinched From Other Languages
    Author

    Chloe Rhodes

    Chloe Rhodes is a freelance writer and journalist whose work has appeared in The Daily Telegraph, The Times and The Independent on Sunday, as well as in several other national publications. Her previous books include A Certain Je Ne Sais Quoi: Words We Pinched From Other Languages and One For Sorrow: A Book of Old-Fashioned Lore, both published by Michael O'Mara Books.

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    Reviews for A Certain Je Ne Sais Quoi

    3.5/5

    27 ratings11 reviews

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    • 5/5
      This book is a fun and easy read and would appeal to anyone who has an interest/curiosity about the origins of the words that we use in our everyday language. There are some surprises contained within its pages and then there are ones that make perfect sense. It also manages to highlight just how much we take for granted in our language usage. I really enjoyed reading this book and am likely to go back to it many times in my life. You can easily pick this book up and read wherever you want in it - it doesn’t need to be read from cover to cover if you don’t want to.
    • 3/5
      The author seemed pretty full of herself. Admittedly, an enormous number of English words descend from French, especially here in America where French trappers and clergy penetrated deep into the continent.
    • 4/5
      You may speak no language other than English, but even so you are probably more multilingual than you think. That thought came to me as I read "A Certain 'Je Ne Sais Quoi'" by Chloe Rhodes. The 175-page book contains scores of words and phrases from other languages that English speakers know and, in many cases, use on a regular basis.We probably know such Latin phrases as bona fide, ex libris, et cetera, carpe diem, ad hoc, ipso facto, in loco parentis, in camera, habeas corpus, modus operandi, quid pro quo, status quo and vice versa.If you ever say a la carte, deja vu, esprit de corps, en masse, faux pas, fait accompli, femme fatale, menage a trois, tour de force, savoir faire, nom de plume or haute cuisine, then you speak at least a smattering of French.You probably also know a little Greek (ho polloi), Mandarin (feng shui and gung ho), Yiddish (klutz and kosher), German (wanderlust and wunderkind), Hawaiian (kahuna) and several other languages. Of course, most of these words and phrases have been used by English speakers for so long that they not only seem English but, in fact, are English. The English language regularly swallows up useful vocabulary from other languages and makes it its own.One must be careful when trying to use these foreign words and phrases in foreign countries, however. As Rhodes explains, many of them are pronounced quite differently in the original languages, and many of them mean something quite different from what they have come to mean in English. In the United States a la mode (or more commonly alamode) means "with ice cream." In France it means "fashionable." The phrase c'est la vie (that's life) is now considered old-fashioned in France, so it's probably best to avoid it. If you say coup de grace the way most Americans say it, by leaving out the final "s" sound, it means "neck of fat" in France. The phrase double entendre, so popular in the United States, is considered obsolete in France, where they prefer double sens or double entente to mean the same thing.One of the oddest things in the book has to do with the phrase art nouveau, a popular term in the U.S. to refer to new art. In France, however, Rhodes says they use an English phrase "modern style" to mean the same thing.
    • 4/5
      There can’t be a more American word than “dungarees”, right? Actually, according to author Chloe Rhodes, the word dungarees comes from a Hindi word Dungri which is a cotton cloth used for sails and tents in India. This is the type of word information contained in A Certain Je Ne Sais Quoi. Listed alphabetically, the book gives not only the origin of the words we use, but also how they became included in our language. Many of the words we hear regularly, kowtow, alma mater, kudos, and glitch, have their origins in other countries around the world. How appropriate is the origin of the word “paparazzi” which is an Italian word for mosquitoes!This is an entertaining book filled with information for those with an interest in words and for those who want to use them correctly. This is the most recent book in a series by Reader’s Digest.
    • 4/5
      There can’t be a more American word than “dungarees”, right? Actually, according to author Chloe Rhodes, the word dungarees comes from a Hindi word Dungri which is a cotton cloth used for sails and tents in India. This is the type of word information contained in A Certain Je Ne Sais Quoi. Listed alphabetically, the book gives not only the origin of the words we use, but also how they became included in our language. Many of the words we hear regularly, kowtow, alma mater, kudos, and glitch, have their origins in other countries around the world. How appropriate is the origin of the word “paparazzi” which is an Italian word for mosquitoes!This is an entertaining book filled with information for those with an interest in words and for those who want to use them correctly. This is the most recent book in a series by Reader’s Digest.
    • 3/5
      I am a word nerd. My favorite part of the National Spelling Bee is when the competitors ask for the definition or derivation of a word. I find it completely and totally fascinating to know the origins (sometimes far afield from our current usage) of the words we use in English today. English is such a polyglot language, almost a living organism picking up words from other languages that are just so appropriate for something we have yet to name. This book takes many of these words and phrases and informs the curious reader from whence they came. Set up in a dictionary format with words and their explanations listed alphabetically, there are some delightfully tongue in cheek comments scattered throughout the text, especially in the example sentences. And the occasional cartoons illustrating some of the phrases are a complete hoot. I was surprised by how many of the words for which I already knew the origins. Even more interestingly, I use quite a few of these fabulous foreign imports in my daily life. I guess the fact that the words are listed in this book means they aren't as common as I'd thought and would explain the funny glazed expression people sometimes get on their faces when they are listening to me. (But really, who doesn't know what debacle means? Seriously.) This type of book probably doesn't have a widespread appeal but it is perfect reading for your average English major and even minor. Personally I thought it was just plain interesting. Now I have to get up the courage to read the one about math terms!
    • 3/5
      As far as language trivia books go, this one isn't too bad. The layout is good, the entries interesting but not so detailed as to turn a casual reader off, and the images that sometimes accompany the entries are amusing.The only complaint that I have about this book is that it's very obvious that it wasn't changed in the slightest when brought from a British to a North American publisher and audience. There are terms explained in the book that I've never heard used before, and some terms explained that I know are typically British, such as "nosh." This isn't a terrible thing, but it might alienate some readers from the concepts being explained. Language as a concept is universal, but specific languages and dialects don't always travel well, and I think that should have been kept more in mind.Otherwise, though, this was an interesting book. So long as you aren't looking for detailed explanations of how English got its loan words, of course, but then again, that's not what this book is for. That's what academic books are for. (Not that I'd mind getting my hands on some of those, either!)
    • 4/5
      Words, phrases, certain sayings we use all the time...do you ever wonder where they came from? "A Certain Je Ne Sais Quoi" by Chloe Rhodes lets us in on the origins of things we say every day. From A cappella ( in the manner of the choir) to Zeitgeist (spirit of the time), Chic (elegant) to Sarong (covering), any lover of words will love this book. Examples as well as origins are given alphabetically. This would be a great book for any reader, graduate (high school or college), anyone who is crazy about language.My Mom instilled me with a love of words, and she would have loved this book! No Caveat Emptor (let the buyer beware), needed, this is so much fun!Get this book for yourself, or for anyone whose Raison d'Etre (reason for being) has anything to do with words. You won't regret it!I received this book from Julie at FSB Associates for review. Thanks!!
    • 4/5
      This is a great new reference work that you might just find yourself curling up with as if it were a novel. It explores 'the origin of foreign words used in English', and some of them are pretty amusing.For example, our term paparazzi referred to the Italian word for mosquito and was related to a Fellini film (how appropriate is that!). And when you say someone has a lot of panache, you probably aren't referring to the feather on their hat, but that is where the word derives from: a plume of feather that exuded flair (French origin). Now we consider panache more of an expression of style (i.e. Johnny Depp has the trademark on panache)! Another interesting word in our literary world is denouement, which originated in the French and referred to 'an untying'. That makes sense, as when we get to the denouement of the book all the complexities usually are unravelled and our understanding is clear.I enjoyed the different choices of phrases and the accurate explanation of what they originally meant. I always thought Quid Pro Quo meant doing something for free, somewhat mixing it up with Pro Bono. Both of my interpretations were wrong: quid pro quo means something done in exchange for something else (not free). Pro Bono means something done 'for the good' as in a public service.This is a reference work useful to almost anyone, but I can't help but think a high school or college student might especially benefit from the explanations and fast paced instruction. My only disappointment was that the book doesn't offer pronounciations with the phrases. Most are obvious, but a few really could use a guide on how to correctly pronounce the phrase (thus settling many dinner party disputes).
    • 4/5
      Whether you are a lover of the written word in general, or you simply love to learn about where particular words and saying came from, this is a must read for you. Presented in a reference book style that allows easy look up of your favorites, it can be read straight through or picked up at random to provide a meaning, or saying at a moments notice. You may not recognize them all (I sure didn't) but those that are new will simply be fodder to add to your ever growing knowledge base. Carpe diem! (...and happy reading!)
    • 4/5
      From my blog....A Certain "Je Ne Sais Quoi": The Origin of Foreign Words Used in English by Chloe Rhodes is an absolutely delightfully charming book filled with foreign words used within the English language, the origins of the words, their original definitions as well as how the word came about, the current meaning and an example of usage of the word. My family as well as I had a lot of fun discovering the meanings of many words as well as the origins of some of our favourites such as "Reductio ad Absurdum". A Certain "Je Ne Sais Quoi" makes for a fun book to read through, use for reference or give to any lover of etymology as a gift.

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    A Certain Je Ne Sais Quoi - Chloe Rhodes

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