Je Ne Sais What?: A Guide to De Rigueur Frenglish for Readers, Writers, and Speakers

A quick reference for non-French speakers provides explanations for several often-used French expressions that have crept into the English language. By the author of The Portable Curmudgeon. 15,000 first printing. $15,000 ad/promo.

Do you feel that your vocabulary is too passe and wish it displayed more elan? Winokur (The Portable Curmudgeon, LJ 6/1/92) has compiled a dictionary of French expressions that have become common to everyday English. The text includes pronunciation guides, definitions, a brief list of place names, and, frequently, the origin of the work and an example of its use in a quotation. Winokur also offers an explanation of the difference between Franglais, a hybrid of French and English (e.g., le drug store and le blue-jeans, terminology that deeply chagrins the Academie Francaise), and Frenglish, French words and phrases that have been readily absorbed, untainted, into the English language. This title will be helpful to serious writers and speakers. Recommended for public libraries.
Cathy Sabol, Northern Virginia Community Coll., Manassas
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.