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A fascinating look at the meanings and origins of the many colourful foreign phrases we use every day.

English as we know it today is enriched with many borrowings and influences from other languages. Aficionado, chutzpah, pro bono, hoi polloi, ketchup, nous, zeitgeist – we use these foreign words every day without thinking of their origins, but what do they actually mean? And just how and why did we English speakers absorb such exotic imports? Each phrase has a fascinating history. Did you know, for example, that the seemingly modern ‘bandana’ comes from the Sanskrit for the ancient Indian technique of tie-dying fabric?

A Certain ‘Je Ne Sais Quoi’ is an accessible and entertaining treasury of information that ‘connoisseurs’ (French) of the English language will love!