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 beause it will enable you to understand piees of text
that inlude them. !eondly, beause you might also need to use those expressions on
partiular situations (avoid using them "ust to sound smart though). #elow you will $nd %
foreign expressions ommonly used in English, en"oy&
'. De Facto
(e fato is a )atin expression that means *atual+ (if used as an ad"etive) or *in pratie+ (if
used as an adverb). ,n legal terms, de facto is ommonly used in ontrast to de jure, whih
means *by law.+ !omething, therefore, an emerge either de fato (by pratie) or de "ure (by
law).
-nd what of the plasti red benh, whih has served as his de fato home for the last '. years
and must by now be a olletor/s item0 (12 3imes)
4. Vis--Vis
3he literal meaning of this Frenh expression is *fae to fae+ (used as an adverb). ,t is used
more widely as a preposition though, meaning *ompared with+ or *in relation to.+
,t/s going to be a huge atalyst in moving the whole proess forward and it really strengthens
the 5.!. position vis6a6vis our trading partners (2ahoo& 1ews)
7. Status quo
3his famous )atin expression means *the urrent or existing state of a8airs.+ ,f something
hanges the status quo, it is hanging the way things presently are.
#ush believes that the status 9uo : the presene in a sovereign ountry of a militant group
with missiles apable of hitting a 5.!. ally : is unaeptable. (Washington ;ost)
<. Cul-de-sac
3his expression was originated in England by Frenh6speaking aristorats. )iterally it means
*bottom of a sak,+ but generally it refers to a dead6end street. =ul6de6sa an also be used
metaphorially to express an ation that leads to nowhere or an impasse.
#ut the ode of omerta was in e8et for two arloads of fans irling the ul6de6sa to have a
look at the house. (>euters.om)
- ul6de6sa of poverty (3he Eonomist)
.. Per se
;er se is a )atin expression that means *by itself+ or *intrinsially.+
3he mistake it made with the ?box is that there is no game onsole market per se@ there are
;lay!tation, Aame=ube, and ?box markets. (;=Bag.om)
%. d hoc
-d ho, borrowed from the )atin, an be used both as an ad"etive, where it means *formed or
reated with a spei$ purpose,+ and as an adverb, where it means *for the spei$ purpose or
situation.+
3he World #ank/s board on Friday ordered an ad ho group to disuss the fate of ;resident ;aul
WolfowitC (=11)