Faux Pas: A No-nonsense Guide to Words and Phrases

by Philip Gooden

Have you ever been embarassed by the bons mots that some people toss casually into conversation, or wished that you had a clever retort?
Faux Pas offers insight into hundreds of these phrases that readers will (or might not) want to use in writing or conversation once they know their correct meanings and usage. Entries include both familiar terms and phrases that are new, curious, or even just amusing. Each expression is "translated" and denotes the language of origin, pronunciation, and usefulness. A Pretentiousness Index is included for many expressions to assist you in avoiding inappropriate usage.
Whether you are a linguaphile or a professional wordsmith, or just want to impress your friends with a few well-chosen apercus, Philip Gooden's guide can rescue you from potential language land mines and help you to maintain your sangfroid. Full of examples drawn from everyday contexts, Faux Pas will make sure that you don't upset any honchos with your chutzpah.

Genres: Reference, Nonfiction, Language, Writing

256 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2005

About the author

Philip Gooden lives in Bath. In addition to his Nick Revill series, Sleep of Death, he is the author of The Guinness Guide to Better English and the editor of The Mammoth Book of Literary Anecdotes. Each of his Nick Revill mysteries revolves around a Shakespearean play mirroring life - in Sleep of Death the play was Hamlet, in this offering it is Troilus and Cressida.
AKA Philippa Morgan.

Series:
* Shakespearean Murder
* Tom Ansell

Reviews

[Nathalie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This collection is taylormade for people like me who enjoy reading dictionaries and love etymology! Who knew that HONCHO is Japanese, KOWTOW is Chinese, MANTRA is Sanskrit, OMBUDSMAN is Swedish and PUNDIT is Sanskrit again! Maybe you did, you little smarty pants you! I am most familiar with French (bien sur!) and Latin expressions. But I think, even if you are not a prodigious reader, you will be amazed at how many foreign words and expressions have crept up into our every day vocabulary. The author provides an actual quote (mostly in newspapers) for each word and expression. I now familiar with more phrases than I wanted to know even, if you catch my meaning...

[Kellog Mcpussy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the most interesting reference books on my shelf, and also the one I returned to the most. I wouldn't rate some of the definitions as being the best, but it works well enough in most circumstances. Doesn't hurt that some of the entries are quite humourous.

[Elsa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Muy interesante. No tenia no idea de que "wanderlust" fuese de origen alemán. También me ha sorprendido ver que a lo tonto y a lo bobo conocía muchas de las palabras.

[Heather Forensky · Rating 5 out of 5]

Useful for French lessons.

[Susan Abbey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting, entertaining and thought-provoking - how these terms come about and how I could incorporate them in my writing

[Lenna · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not as interesting as I thought it would be. I didn't learn much from reading this, but it may be useful to a high school student studying for the SATs.

[Jim · Rating 3 out of 5]

All usage examples are from British press.