Issue #15 July 18, 2009

SB Bharti Enterprises 1

WORDS FOR THE WEEK

Theme for the week

French words and phrases used in English-II

Nouveau riche

Origin: French, literally, new rich

Meaning: Describes people of low social class who have recently become very rich

and like to show their wealth publicly by spending a lot of money.

POS: adjective

Usage: The restaurant is popular with the city's nouveau riche.

Other related words: parvenu.

RSVP

Origin: The above is an abbreviation of the French term: Respondez s’il vous plait

Meaning: respond please

POS: verb

Usage: RSVP by April 18th 2007 to Anil's dinner invitation. Other related words: reply ASAP (as soon as possible)

Raison d’etre

Origin: Literally, reason to be.

Meaning: reason or justification for existence

POS: noun

Usage: Art is an artist's raison d'être.

Other related words: motto in life.

Tête-à-tête

Origin: French, literally, head to head

Meaning: An informal private conversation between two people, especially friends:

POS: noun, adjective, adverb

Usage: She remembered their cosy tête-à-tête at Café Coffee Day even though it

happened long ago.

Other related words: Vis-à-vis, a sofa shaped like an S so two people are able to

converse face to face.

Issue #15 July 18, 2009

SB Bharti Enterprises 2

Gauche

Origin: French, literally, left Meaning: awkward and uncomfortable with other people, especially because young

and lacking in experience POS: noun

Usage: She had grown from a gauche teenager to a self-assured young woman.

Other related words: graceless, unpolished