Lumiere English Academy; A Basic Grammar, Lesson 16; Latin, French and Greek Contributions to English

Lumiere English academy

A Basic Grammar
Lesson 16

Latin, French and Greek
Contributions to English

Use some Latin, French and Greek

 

To give your English a touch of chic

 

 

 

SOME EXAMPLES OF THE MANY FREQUENTLY

EMPLOYED LATIN AND FRENCH TERMS
 

N.B. The French terms are in italics

 

Ad infinitum                                          repeated endlessly
 

Ad nauseam                                           repeated until you feel ill
 

A.D.                 Anno Domini               the year of Our Lord
 

a.m.                  Ante Meridiem             before noon
 

au fait  with                                            familiar with/

                                                               conversant with
 

B.A.                  Baccalaureus Artium   Bachelor of Arts
 

C.V.                  Curriculum Vitae         brief summary of one's life

                                                               (and qualifications)
 

D.V.                  Deo volente                  if it please God -

                                                                if I'm still alive
 

Déjà vu             Already seen                 the feeling that you

                                                                have already experienced

                                                                this event

 

et cetera                                                  and the rest
 

e.g.                     exempli gratia              for example
 

i.e.                      id est                            that is
 

inter alia                                                 among other things

in medias res                                          in the middle of the matter

                                                               (without a long

                                                                introduction)

M.A.                  Magister Artium          Master of the Art
 

M.Com              Magister Commercii   Master of Commerce
 

M.Sc.                 Magister Scientiae       Master of Science
 

Non sequitur                                          the remark has nothing to

                                                                do with what was said

                                                                before
 

Noblesse oblige                                      when you are courteously

                                                                treated you must be
 

                                                                courteous too
 

N.B.                   nota bene                     please note
 

Ph D                  Philosophiae doctor    Doctor of Philosophy
 

p.m.                   Post Meridiem             after noon
 

P.M.                  Post Mortem                after death - an

                                                                examination into cause of

                                                                death
 

P.S.                    Post Scriptum              an extra paragraph in a

                                                                letter after it has been

                                                                signed
 

Raison d'être                                          the main reason for
 

R.S.V.P.     Respondez s'il vous plait    Please reply
 

R I P           Requiescat in pace              Rest in peace
 

Viz              Videlicet                              namely

 

YOU WILL FIND IT EASIER TO UNDERSTAND

DIFFICULT ENGLISH WORDS IF YOU KNOW THE

FOLLOWING BASIC LATIN AND GREEK DERIVATIONS

 

Auto                    -                   self
 

Bene                   -                    well
 

Bi                        -                    two
 

Bios                    -                     life
 

Circum               -                     around
 

Ex                       -                     out of
 

Graphos             -                     writing
 

Inter                   -                     between
 

Mal                     -                     bad
 

Non                    -                     no
 

Mono                 -                     one
 

Pan                     -                     all
 

Pathos                -                     feeling
 

Peri                    -                     around
 

Phone                -                     voice
 

Poly                   -                     many
 

Pre                     -                     before
 

Pseudo              -                      false
 

Semi                  -                      half
 

Sub                    -                      under
 

Super                -                       above
 

Sym                   -                       together
 

Tele                  -                       far   
 

Trans                -                       across
 

Uno                  -                       one
 

Verbum            -                       word

 

EXERCISE: In groups make lists of words starting off with one 

of these and put the explanation with it,

e.g. verbalise - to put into words;
 

semi-circle - half circle;
 

unanimous - all are agreed.

 

Dr Luky Whittle