In order to bond with someone from a different culture, it's best to know what certain words mean before you use them. An American ice skater went on Australian television and said “when I last skated, I fell on my fanny.” To an American that's not funny at all, but to an Australian, it's hysterical! Translated into Australian, she said “when I last skated, I fell on my vagina.” So you have to be careful. To help you, I have come up with a list of some common ethnic words and phrases (many familiar to you) so that you will know what people are talking about when you hear them. If necessary, I list their pronunciation after the term.
Latin Terms Commonly Used in English
• modus operandi (MO)—method of procedure
• modicum of decorum—way of behavior
• per diem (per DEE um) or per annum—by the day or by the year
• in absentia—in one's absence
• status quo—the present state of things
• de facto—in actuality
• ex post facto—after the fact
• pueris enternis—man refusing to grow up
• per se (per SAY)—in itself, intrinsically
• persona non grata—person not welcome
German Terms Commonly Used in English
• wunderkind (VUN der kind)—talented, precocious child
• angst—foreboding or anxiety
• doppleganger—mirror image
• verboten (vayer BOAT tin)—forbidden
• gesundheit (gez ZUNT hite)—to your health (said after one sneezes)
• zeitgeist (ZITE guyst)—spirit of an era
• wanderlust—yearning to travel
Yiddish Terms Commonly Used in English
• mishigas (mish shig Goss)—insanity
• shlep—drag
• mensch—a person who does good by others
• yenta—gossipy person
• chutzpha (HOOTS pah)—a lot of nerve
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