Foreign Phrases?

[SnowflakeGirl]

ixcrisxi, I studied French in school, but I'm not sure if I'd call myself fluent. J'ai besoin de pratiquer!

BTW, deus ex machina is the latin translation of the Greek concept of theos ek mechanes, literally "god from the machine". This comes from the Greek (esp. Euripides) and, later, Roman dramatic tradition of resolving a play by lowering a god onto the stage by means of a mechanical device, like a crane. Hence, "god from the machine". Anyway, that's why people now use it to mean a forced or improbable device that's used to conclude a story or resolve a plot.

Yay, literature is fun!

[ixcrisxi]

Are you an etymologist, then?
J'ai besoin de pratiquer beaucoup parce que je suis parler le français un peu!

[haejin]

Eh, I don't know too many Spanish phrases that you can find in a magazine or newspaper. I do know some idiomatic expressions though.

¿Tiene cuántos años? = How old is s/he?
Literal meaning = s/he has how many years?

[nausicaa]

Here's a good one. A Latin proverb:

Sus Minervam docet - "The pig teaches Minerva" (the goddess of Wisdom in Roman mythology); i.e. to describe someone who's ignorant of his/her own ignoranace.

[SnowflakeGirl]

Are you an etymologist, then?

No, just an ardent logophile (i.e. lover of words) and a recovering literature major.

Here are some of my favorite Latin phrases:

Condemnant qui non intelligent.--They condemn who do not understand.
Ars artis gratia--Art for the sake of art
de profundis--out of the depths of misery or dejection.
Dum spiro, spero.--While I breathe, I hope.
Ex animo--From the heart.
Omnia vincit amor--Love conquers all!

And, of course, the timeless...
Non calor sed umor est qui nobis incommodat.--It's not the heat, it's the humidity.

[ixcrisxi]

Bof! - Expression of "indifference."

[libra4]

ixcrisxi, in "a year in provence", peter mayle gives a great description of the usage of, and the expressions that accompany, this (and others) quintessentially french phrase/gesture/response. very funny book - i spent a little time in france, and mayles' descriptions are so down pat i felt like i was there again.

Bof! - Expression of "indifference."

[ShirleyUgest]

Why? Why do people insist on abusing language like that?

I am with you there... the world is becoming overrun with illiterates. The spelling and grammatical errors on public "professional" signage is enough to make me cry.

The difference between the right word and the almost right word is the difference between lightning and a lightning bug. -- Mark Twain

"A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver." Proverbs 25:11

Since the only language I know other than English is American Sign Language, then I guess my contribution to this thread would be to explain to you that if you hold your hand up with all five fingers spread, then just bend your middle and ring fingers down to touch your palm, you are saying "I Love You" in ASL. (If you know the American Sign Language alphabet, this sign is the combination of the letters "I";"L";"Y") And this smiley is signing "WHERE?":nono

[shusie]

"Alpha Omega" beginning and the end

"mes amis" my friends French

Dare I say it... "Voulez vous couchez avec moi ce soir?" loosely means "will you go to bed with me, tonight?" French, of course.

and the oft heard, but rarely understood latin phrase,
"furnulum pani nolo" I don't want a toaster

[Dinahann]

my favorite is "Le Mot Juste" literally meaning the word that conveys a nuance most closely - just the right word. (It's my raison d'etre, or reason for being)