English for Today by Ganiu Abisoye Bamgbose (GAB)
USING FOREIGN PHRASES
A number of foreign phrases are becoming natural part of the English language. The trend is for users of the language to use them regularly in the spoken or written English. We can examine a few of them that have become well established in the language as follows:
ab initio- from the beginning
ad hoc- for the special aim
ad infinitum- without end
bon mot- clever remark
de facto- really existing
de jure- true or right because of law
deja vu- to have previously experienced as of now
de novo- new, afresh
en masse- together
en passant- in passing
en route- on the way
in memoriam- in the memory of
in toto- entirely
lingual franca- a common language spoken by people of divergent languages
inter alia- among other things
locus standi- the right to appear in court
modus operandi- the way something operates
modus vivendi- a compromise
sine die- indefinitely
sine qua non- an essential condition
una voce- with one voice
ultra vires- beyond the powers of legal authority of a person.
Ganiu Abisoye Bamgbose (GAB)
Academic Advisor, Distance Learning Centre, University of Ibadan;
&
Doctoral Student of English, University of Ibadan.
