[Marianopolita]

So far it could be a coincidence that the majority of commonly used foreign phrases in my list are French but at the same time there is somewhat of an explanation for the French popularity as opposed to other commonly used foreign phrases that are Spanish, Italian, just to name a few other languages. Also out from doing this list it has helped reinforce my visibility of the inherent usage and survival of Latin phrases and words that are still very common today.

Continuing my list from above:

35) ça va? (French)- okay (everything okay)
36) caveat emptor (Latin)- 'let the buyer beware'
37) c'est la vie (French)- such is life
38) ciao (Italian)- goodbye
39) consommé (French)- a clear meat or chicken soup
40) coup d'état (French)- overthrowing of a government. Usually with violence
41) cum laude (Latin)- with honors
42) curriculum vitae (Latin) - resume
43) déclassé (French)- no class
44) déjà vu (French)- a feeling of repetition of something or a moment in the past
45) et cetera (Latin)- and so on and so forth
46) faux pas (French) – a slip that one usually regrets, a mistake
47) gringo (Spanish)- a general term for a foreigner. (let’s leave it at that please)
48) joie de vivre (French)- the joy of life
49) laissez-faire (French)- usually refers to a policy with little government intervention
50) mi casa es su casa (Spanish) – this is extremely universal no translation required.
51) moi non plus (French)- me neither
52) nouveau riche (French)- a term used to refer to recently acquired wealth but a person is still considered socially low class or inferior
53) paella (Spanish)- universal name for this infamous Spanish dish. No explanation required
54) par excellence (French)- 'above all' (por excelencia in Spanish)
55) per capita (Latin)- per person
56) per diem (Latin) – per day
57) per se (Latin) –essentially
58) picante (Spanish) –hot, highly spiced
59) pro bono (Latin)- for the good of the public

I think these two lists have good examples of foreign phrases and words used universally.

Although these phrases are considered 'universally used' and understood I wonder how universal they really are. For example are French phrases more common in Europe and Spanish ones more common in the Americas or is there really true universal usage and comprehension.

I wonder if the French phrases would be just as well understood and used in Miami for example (one of my favorite cities with a high concentration of Spanish speakers) as opposed to any European country except for France and Switzerland of course.

Or how common are the Spanish phrases outside of the Americas?

What makes some phrases (from a language perspective) more common than others? I have some ideas but it's food for thought.

To those of you who are reading this thread how many of the foreign phrases did you know or understand? Hopefully someone will respond.


LDG.