[shrinkermd]

Great Post Thank you. I liked this:"Foreign words and expressions such as cul de sac, ancien r&eacutgime, deus ex machina, mutatis mutandis, status quo, gleichschaltung, weltanschauung , are used to give an air of culture and elegance. Except for the useful abbreviations i.e., e.g. , and etc. , there is no real need for any of the hundreds of foreign phrases now current in the English language

[Maelstrom]

*grunt*

[thedugal]

Zeitgeist :)

[Publius6961]

there is no real need for any of the hundreds of foreign phrases now current in the English language

I disagree.
For those seriously familiar with Spanish, French and German, there is a subtlety of meaning that translations or substitutions can never convey.

It is a shame that some can't enjoy that richness merely because most can't partake.
We call that reduction to the least common denominator.
I know that is most un-PC, but I don't care.

I plan to keep on using those words and phrases that are perfect for the occasion.