50 Foreign Terms That Arent Foreign

50 Foreign Terms That Arent Foreign 50 Foreign Terms That Aren’t Foreign 50 Foreign Terms That Aren’t Foreign By Mark Nichol English is a very welcoming language, adopting terms indiscriminately from other tongues. Many publishers observe a distinction between naturalized words and those still considered foreign, honoring the assimilation of the former by refraining from using any visual emphasis and italicizing those in the latter category. The careful writer will honor this distinction, but how is one to know to which class a particular word or phrase belongs? Adopted words will appear in the dictionary, while words or phrases that have not received a green card remain relegated to a print dictionary’s appendix, if any. Or, check out this virtual cheat sheet, which lists words and phrases (with brief definitions) that do not merit italicization. 1. la carte: priced separately 2. la mode: fashionable; topped with ice cream 3. a priori: presumptive, presupposed 4. ad hoc: formed for a special purpose 5. ad infinitum: without end or limit 6. ad nauseam: to an excessive or sickening degree 7. apropos: opportune or relevant 8. attachà ©: a diplomatic technical expert; a briefcase 9. avant-garde: innovative 10. belles lettres: artistic literature 11. bon voyage: have a good trip 12. bona fide: genuine, sincere 13. carte blanche: full permission 14. caveat emptor: let the buyer beware 15. chargà © d’affaires: a deputy ambassador or minister 16. coup d’à ©tat: a violent government overthrow 17. cul-de-sac: a dead end 18. de facto: in practice 19. doppelgnger: an alter ego, double, or ghost; someone with the same name as someone else 20. en masse: as a whole, in one body 21. en route: along or on the way 22. ex officio: because of or by virtue of an office 23. fait accompli: something already done and irreversible 24. faux pas: an error 25. fete: a celebration; celebrate 26. habeas corpus: an order to bring a jailed person before a judge to determine whether the person should be jailed; the right of a person against illegal imprisonment 27. hors d’oeuvre: appetizers 28. ipso facto: by the fact itself 29. machismo: an exaggerated masculinity or show of strength 30. maà ®tre d’: a headwaiter or steward 31. mà ©nage: a household; housekeeping 32. modus operandi: a way of doing things 33. nom de plume: a pen name 34. non sequitur: a statement that does not logically follow what was previously said 35. papier-mà ¢chà ©: paper mixed with glue and water to harden for molding for artistic projects 36. per capita: per person 37. per diem: per day, paid by the day; a daily allowance or fee 38. per se: by itself 39. persona non grata: an unacceptable person 40. prà ©cis: a concise summary 41. prima donna: a conceited person 42. prima facie: apparent, self-evident, or at first view 43. pro bono: donated 44. realpolitik: practical rather than theoretical politics 45. soiree: an evening party or reception 46. status quo: the current state 47. tà ªtetà ªte: a private conversation; a piece of furniture designed to facilitate one 48. tour de force: an impressive display or feat 49. vice versa: with the order changed 50. visvis: in relation to Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Arrive To vs. Arrive AtProbable vs. PossibleConversational Email

Using the Simple Sentence in Writing

Using the Simple Sentence in Writing For writers and readers alike, the simple sentence is the basic building block of language. As the name suggests, a simple sentence is usually very short, sometimes no more than a subject and verb.   Definition In English grammar, a simple sentence is a  sentence with only one independent clause. Though a simple sentence doesnt contain any  subordinate clauses, it isnt always short. A simple sentence often contains  modifiers. In addition,  subjects,  verbs, and  objects  may be  coordinated. The Four Sentence Structures The simple sentence is one of the four basic sentence structures. The other structures are the  compound sentence, the  complex sentence, and the  compound-complex sentence. Simple sentence: I purchased a tour guide and a travel journal at the bookstore.Compound sentence: I purchased a tour guide and a travel journal, but the bookstore was out of maps.Complex sentence:  Because I was planning to visit Tokyo, I purchased a tour guide and a travel journal.Compound-complex sentence:  While Mary waited, I purchased a tour guide and a travel journal at the bookstore, and then the two of us went to dinner.    As you can see from the above examples, a simple sentence- even with a lengthy predicate- is still grammatically less complex than the other types of sentence structures.   Constructing a Simple Sentence At its most basic, the simple sentence contains a subject and a verb: I am running.Kelsey loves potatoes.Mom is a teacher. However, simple sentences also can contain adjectives and adverbs, even a compound subject: He can follow that path and see the waterfall.You and your friends can see the waterfall from the trail.I was wearing my navy linen suit, a crisp white shirt, a red tie, and black loafers. The trick is to look for multiple independent clauses joined by a coordinating conjunction, a semicolon, or a colon. These are characteristics of a compound sentence. A simple sentence, on the other hand, only has a single subject-verb relationship. Segregating Style Simple sentences sometimes play a role in a literary device known as segregating style, where a writer employs a number of short, balanced sentences in a row for emphasis. Often, complex or compound sentences may be added for variety.   Examples: The house stood alone on a hill. You couldnt miss it. Broken glass hung from every window. Weatherbeaten clapboard hung loose. Weeds filled the yard. It was a sorry sight. The segregating style works best in narrative or descriptive writing when clarity and brevity are required. It is less effective in expository writing when nuance and analysis are required. Kernel Sentence A simple sentence can also function as a  kernel sentence. These declarative sentences contain only one verb, lack descriptives, and are always in the affirmative. Kernel: I opened the doorNonkernel: I did not open the door. Likewise, a simple sentence is not necessarily a single kernel sentence if it contains modifiers: Kernel: The cow is black.Nonkernel: This is a black cow.

Payment systems Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Payment systems - Essay Example An important factor that influences the choice of payment system lies in the value of the transaction. The most efficient and fair payment system in terms of the risk tradeoff for transactions of $100 may not be the same as it is for transactions of $1,000,000. So alternative payment systems often distinguishes between a large-value transfer system (LVTS) and a small-value transfer system (SVTS).2 The following stages are involved in Payment System development: Transitional economies started their payment system development from stage 2, a cash circuit for consumers and a paper-based noncash circuit for enterprises in which all transactions were gross but with long lags between payment instruction and receipt of payment. The prototype DNS system of stage 3 was a simple clearinghouse in London where banks exchanged cheques at the end of each business day. In this system, there were no credit limits between banks, in part because banks did not provide unconditional funds against deposited cheques. Such deposits became unconditional only after clearing and the confirmation that sufficient funds were available in the payer's account. In the case of credit transfers, however, the credit risk is more likely to fall on the receiving bank. With a credit transfer, customers and their receiving banks know that the payer had sufficient funds when making the transfer. So the receiving bank makes funds available to its clients and bears the risk that the payer's bank may fail in the interval between sending the credit transfer information and settling that payment in the end-of-day netting. Stage 4: Most industrial countries had reached stage 4, predominantly with DNS systems, by the 1970s or 1980s. In such unprotected DNS systems, commercial banks provided free, unlimited, uncollateralised intraday credit. 3 As risks in both net and gross systems were recognized, central banks required collateral or charged for intraday credit. With limited intraday liquidity, both DNS and RTGS systems have adopted prioritization arrangements, while some DNS systems have increased the frequency of batch settlements during the day. Stage 5: Automation increased speed and reduced costs, both followed by the dramatic increases in transaction values in both domestic and international financial liberalization that took place during these two decades. The traditional DNS systems of stages 3 and 4 involved unlimited implicit credit granted to the paying bank by the receiving bank from the time a payment instruction was received until the time of final settlement after clearing. Risks In Payment Systems Legal risks are one aspect of the need for certainty about how the system operates. Participants need to know what happens in different circumstances. If a participant defaults, for example, what will be the impact on other participants Operational risk is

Measure of Consumer Well-Being Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Measure of Consumer Well-Being - Research Paper Example I have recently started working on a marketing job. The new job requires me to be constantly in touch with by superiors and also with my customers. I now realize that my basic model of mobile would not serve its purpose. I need a phone that not only serves as a phone but also functions like a hand held computer with wi-fi facility. Reading and writing emails was very important and hence, the new mobile must be hi-tech with huge functions. Using laptop all the time to remain online for conference talk with superiors was not feasible. This was a major problem which needed to be sorted out. Hence, new mobile with these features was the only option for me to safeguard my job. Information search My need for sophisticated mobile phone was driven by my professional requirement. I started researching for the best brand that would help me meet my need. The online search was natural option. I found that Nokia N8 was a good option. It was not only backed by the brand credibility but also throug h experience I knew that it was sturdy and reliable. It was equipped with various features like easy navigation, huge storage, high resolution camera, wi-fi to connect easily across the globe, email, video conferencing, facebook etc. These were critical features that supported my work. One of my colleagues also happened to have this phone who gave a rave review. I also went to major mobile outlets to personally see various models. This helped me to evaluate them and helped compare various feature including look, weight, easy to use keyboard etc. Alternative evaluation Awareness of the product is almost always followed by in depth search from different internal and external sources. The alternative assessment of the product helps to evaluate the value for the product. Looking at alternative brands, I found that Samsung Galaxy was also quite popular amongst many of my friends and acquaintances. It had same features with qwerty keyboard. It suited my requirements but the cost was littl e over my budget. Some of friends also cautioned me that it needed good care and could not be used as roughly as Nokia! Purchase decision Purchase decision takes into consideration various factors like need for the product, which in my case was triggered by work requirement. The alternative evaluation and information gathering process are vital criteria for making right purchase decision. Indeed, it reduces the risk in buying in buying expensive products. The final buying decision is backed by the credibility of the manufacturer, reliability of the product, social consciousness, quality, performance, lifestyle, experience, post-sale performance etc. Lee et al. (2002) strong assert that consumer experiences satisfaction vis-a-vis consumption, maintenance, lifecycle and post purchase service. Most importantly I found that Nokia products were environment friendly and the firm was highly ethical with strong sense of social responsibility. My research, thus greatly facilitated me to make purchase decision. I was already satisfied with the brand as my basic phone was also Nokia and the cost, quality and brand name finally helped in my decision to purchase Nokia N8. Post purchase behavior After sales performance lends credibility to the product and promotes unique customer relationship based on trust.

Human Dignity Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Human Dignity - Essay Example There are number of examples in the history where human dignity took priority over mishandling of humans. For example, the inhuman treatment of workers in the hands of English people made the church to take action and introduce human rights through labor unions. By this way, the human dignity became the yardstick for judging the political, moral and social aspects of a society. Nowadays the void between rich and poor is on the rise, which is contrary to human dignity. This happened due to misuse of power by the rich people. Chances of a nuclear war in different regions of the world spoiled the life of poor countries. This trend was overcome with the help of United Nations to introduce incentives and pay more attention to peaceful settlement of the human issues instead of war to restore the human dignity. Therefore, it is evident from history the human are born free and have the right to live their lives with morality and justice. Human dignity demands equal treatment of all humans in religion, sports, politics, medical and economics

Licensed Casino Gambling Essay Example for Free

Licensed Casino Gambling Essay Individual effects: Is gambling generally harmful to the individual gambler?| Yes * Gambling is irrational and reckless and should, therefore, be regulated by the government. There may be the possibility of winning a big prize, but the overwhelming likelihood is that a gambler will lose money. This is ensured by the fact that Casinos are profit-minded organizations, and calculate their odds so that they will always make a profit. Because gamblers are always likely to lose and suffer as a result, the activity can be seen in many ways as an irrational engagement. Gambling attracts people with little money who are desperate for a windfall. These are the people who can least afford to lose money. They should be protected from the temptation to gamble.| NoContention that the general individual losses from gambling are justified by it being a fun and leisurely activity worth paying for: Gamblers know that, overall, they are likely to lose money. They gamble because it is a leisure pursuit that they enjoy. There is nothing irrational about this. Some people get an enjoyable thrill from the remote possibility that they might win a huge prize – even if they lose, they enjoy the experience. Some forms of gambling are highly sociable. For example, many people go to bingo halls to spend time with friends. Society accepts people spending (â€Å"wasting†?) money on other leisure pursuits with no material benefits (e.g. cinema tickets, watching sport) – gambling should not be any different. It is patronizing to suggest that people, including those on low incomes, should not be able to choose how they spend their money. * Psychological benefits of gambling: Some argue that gambling offers psychological benefits. The psychological benefits may include: 1. A feeling of control (which some describe as God-like). 2. Confidence that extends from feelings of executive control in decision-making. 3. Benefits in the ability to psycho-analyze other peoples thoughts, and placing mone yed interests and incentives behind the results of such psycho-analysis.[1] 4. Total engagement and peak experience. It provides the gambler with peak experience, that godlike feeling when all of ones physical and emotional senses are go.'[2] 5. The release from daily tension. 6. Feelings of exercising the adventurer within us that part of ourselves which lusts for change, the wooing of the unknown, change, danger, all that is newIt is part of what makes us human.[3] 7. Feelings of engaging in a ubiquitous, historical human tradition. 8. Emotions of non-conformity and freedom. One source quoted a gambler who said, All day long you do what them dumb bastard supervisors tell you. Dont make no difference whether it makes sense or not. Sometimes you just gotta get out of line.[4] * Gambling increases individual efficiency: Studies show that, contrary to popular belief, gambling is by and large beneficial to the gambler and increases rather than decreases his efficiency. It is beneficial in that it stimulates, offers hope, allows decision making, and, in many cases,| Crime effects: Does gambling cause an increase in various kinds of related criminal activities?| [][Edit]Yes * Casinos are often associated with criminal activity. Drug dealers and prostitutes ope rate near casinos – they know that there are a large number of potential clients in the area. Casinos can therefore be devastating to neighborhoods.| [][Edit]No * People committing crimes should be prosecuted. The existence of criminals does not make nearby businesses (including casinos) immoral. It is perverse to punish people who just want to gamble (and not take drugs or use prostitutes) by taking away their chance to do so.| Bad industry? Are casinos an industry with bad merit? Is nothing of value produced by casinos?| Yes * Casinos dont produce any product: Many contend that gambling is inappropriate because it does not generate any tangible product. One commentators says that gambling is an ethereal substancea biological substancethat produces highsgenerated usually by anticipation.[5]| No * Contention that casinos are involved in the entertainment business, and need not produce a tangible product: Gambling is a form of entertainment that is similar to many other forms of entertainment; the objective is merely to foster a desired emotional response from the audience. Mo vies, theater, fair-grounds, concerts, sporting-events, and casinos are all similar in that their primary function is to foster an environment of entertainment. That is their product, which need not be physical in order to be viewed as valuable.| Addiction: Is gambling commonly addictive, and would this be a reason for regulating it?| Yes * Gambling is addictive. Many people end up gambling to try to recover money they have already lost. This is known as ‘chasing losses’. It results in people staking more and more money, most of which they will lose. Gambling addicts often turn to crime to feed their addiction. Addiction is highly damaging to families, since gamblers will spend whatever money they can on gambling. People start to gamble without thinking that they will become addicted. Once they become addicted, it is too late. As with drugs, it is better to ban gambling to stop people getting started in the first place. * Analogy that gambling truly is like a drug, and should be treated as a controlled substance: * It is drug-like in the way that it dramatically utilizes human chemicals: William M. Thompson, Gambling: A Controll ed Substance, PBS Interview, 1994 Is the comparison of drugs and gambling unfair? Consider the words of Thomas R. OBrien, formerly Director of Gaming Enforcement for the state of New Jersey. In 1984 he told a conference on gambling that the success of Atlantic City was tied to how well it sold its only products. He then said: That product is not entertainment or recreation or leisure. Its really adrenaline: a biological substance capable of producing excitementhighs and generated usually by anticipation or expectation of a future event, especially when the outcome of that event is in doubt. According to chief regulator of the industry, gambling was not only a drug, but a mind-altering drug. * The addictive and destructive nature of gambling is also drug-like:William M. Thompson, Gambling: A Controlled Substance, PBS Interview, 1994 Where governments do not prohibit, the majority can exercise self-control. Seventy-five percent gamble responsibly. They find it an entertaining diversion. But another 20 percent overindulge. They incur debts that impair abilities to support their families, unless they stop. Usually they can. Four percent cannot stop without intervention of others. Then there are the one-half to one percent (and these are conservative estimates) who fall into destructive behaviors when exposed to gambling. Families are destroyed, friendships broken, employment disrupted. Cycles of deception and crime lead to ruined livesand in many cases, suicide.| No * Contention that gambling is not physically addictive: Unlike drugs, gambling is not physically addictive. It is only psychologically addictive in some people. Only a small percentage of gamblers have an addiction. Many more get enjoyment from gambling without problems – why should these people suffer because a few others get addicted? The risks of gambling addiction are well known. People can make a conscious choice to start gambling, and are aware of the risks of addiction. Treatment programmes can address the problems of those who are addicted.| Economic harm? Do casinos casinos cause economic harm or provide ver y few economic benefits?| Yes * The long-term economic negatives outweigh the short-term economic gains: John Warren Kind, The Business-Economic Impacts of Licensed Casino Gambling in West Virginia: Short-Term Gain but Long-Term Pain, PBS, 1994 While the dollars invested in various legalized gambling projects and the jobs initially created are evident, the industry has been criticized for inflating the positive economic impacts and trivializing or ignoring the negative impacts (Goodman 1994). The industrys tendency to focus on specialized factors provides a distorted view of the localized economic positives, while ignoring the strategic business-economic costs to the state as a whole (such as West Virginia) and to different regions of the United States (California Governors Office 1992, Kindt 1995). In 1994, all of the various experts who testified before the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Small Business criticized the impacts that casino-style gambling activities inflict upon the criminal justice system, the social welfare, system, small businesses, and the economy (Congressional Hearing 1994). Utilizing legalized gambling activities as a strategy for economic development was thoroughly discredited during the hearing. * The actual economic benefits of casinos are exaggerated. They generally only create low-paid jobs for local people; the casino companies usually bring in managers from elsewhere. * There are too many economic externalities surrounding gambling , which nullify the benefits: * Crime * Risky behavior Compulsive gambling may foster poor, sometimes risky money-management habits. These habits may transfer over to other areas of the economy, where risky behaviors translate into a higher likelihood of loss in various markets. * Time consumption Compulsive gambling often entails significant time consumption, which detracts from more productive ends. * Jobs could be created through many other industries that cause fewer moral and practical problems (e.g. theme parks). * Any economic benefits would not matter, if the industry is deemed immoral: * Estimated losses from compulsive gambling: William M. Thompson, Gambling: A Controlled Substance, PBS Interview, 1994 Conservative numbers suggest it costs society $13,000 per year for each compulsive gambler. The losses include treatment costs, lost productivity, criminal activity and judicial costs. Estimating that widespread gambling across America would create one million compulsive gamblers, the resulting annual economic loss would exceed $13 billion.| No * Casinos cause money to be spent on transport infrastructure, which is very beneficial to economies: * Casinos help the tourism industry of a place: The jobs are not just in the casino itself. More jobs are created in hotels and other parts of the tourism industry. * Examples in which casinos have helped to regenerate many places that previously had considerable poverty and social problems: * Atlantic City. * New Jersey. * Legalized gambling on reservations is very important to Native American tribes: Anthony Pico, Chairman of the Viejas Indians, explains the benefits to his tribe of legalized gambling on his tribes reservation in a PBS interview.[6]| Social welfare effects: Are the charitable generations from gambling substantial, and can this go toward justifying their existence?| Yes * It is immoral for the state or charities to raise money by exploiting people’s stupidity and greed. * Gambling is regressive (this means that the poor pay a greater proportion of their income in tax than the rich). This is because poor people are more likely to gamble. Regressive taxation is deeply unfair. * Legalized gambling activities act as a regressive tax on the poor (Clotfelter and Cook 1989). Specifically, the legalization of various forms of gambling activities makes poor people poorer and can dramatically intensify many pre-existing social-welfare problems. Demographic analyses reveal that certain disadvantaged socioeconomic groups tend to gamble proportionately greater amounts of their overall income and marketing efforts, particularly by state lotteries, have allegedly been directed at these target groups. John Warren Kind, The Business-Economic Impacts of Licensed Casino Gambling in West Virginia: Short-Term Gain but Long-Term Pain, PBS, 1994 * Contention that education is harmed by gambling practices: Kind, PBS, 1994 Legalized gambling activities also negatively affect education both philosophically and fiscally (Better Government Association 1992; Clotfelter and Cook 1989). Adherence to a philosophy of making a living via gambling activities not only abrogates the perceived need for an education, but also reinforces economically unproductive activities (and is statistically impossible since the house always wins eventually). In states with legalized gambling activities which were initiated allegedly to bolster tax revenues to education, the funding in real dollars has almost uniformly decreased.| No * Gambling is often used to raise money for the state or good causes. Charities use prize draws to raise funds:| Should online gambling be banned?| Yes * Internet gambling is especially dangerous. Someone can become addicted very easily – they don’t even need to leave their home. This also means that they are gambling in private. They may therefore be less reluctant to wager very large sums they cannot afford. It is very hard to know the identity of an online gambler – there have been several cases of people (including children) using stolen credit cards to gamble online. Online gambling may be hard to control but that is not a reason to try – making an activity more difficult to pursue will still reduce the number of those who take it up. It is not impossible to put effective deterrent steps in place, such as the recent US ban on American banks processing credit card payments to internet ]\.| No * It is impossible to stop online gambling. When it has been banned, people have just used sites based in other countries. It is better to legalize and regulate online gambling than to drive gamblers to poorly-regulated foreign operators. Regulation can reduce the problems identified by the proposition. For example, online gamblers can be required to give personal details when registering (e.g. occupation, income). If this information suggests they are spending more than they can afford, the company can block their credit card. In any case, most online gamblers do not get addicted. Why should they be denied an activity that they enjoy?|

Character of Blanche in Tennessee Williams A Streetcar Named Desire Es

Character of Blanche in Tennessee Williams' A Streetcar Named Desire One of the best-known plays of our time, Tennessee Williams’s â€Å"A Streetcar Named Desire† tells the story of fading Southern belle Blanche DuBois and her struggles during the South’s post-war changes. Although the play is widely remembered due to its 1951 film version and Marlon Brando’s famous bare-chested cry of â€Å"Stella!,† it is also a story of a changing South containing characters struggling with the loss of aristocracy to the new American immigrant, the fallout of chivalry to a new mindset of sex and desire, and a woman grasping desperately at the last bit of fantasy she can muster. Throughout â€Å"A Streetcar Named Desire,† Williams uses Blanche as a way to critique Southern â€Å"progress† by using her as a symbol for a dark, underlying existence. When fading Southern belle Blanche Dubois first arrives at her sister Stella’s apartment, she is already internally dealing with the struggle between desire and gentility. The end of the play is foreshadowed early on as Blanche states, â€Å"They told me to take a street-car named Desire, and then transfer to one called Cemeteries and ride six blocks and get off at Elysian Fields† (15). This statement serves as a metaphor for Blanche’s life as the mentions of desire, cemeteries, and the Elysian Fields (which symbolize the land of the dead in Greek mythology) describe how her sexual desire serves as the catalyst for her social death and expulsion. Blanche’s vanity and dependence on men also culminate as the play nears its end, as she is taken away from the fantasy she so desperately clings to and dragged into a new world of reality and a New South. Blanche’s struggle with fantasy and reality serves as on... ... in everyone’s lives. This statement holds true for progress as well; without fantasy and dreams there would be no progress. After all, progress is the product of someone’s fantasy- an idea that was thought up on a whim. Like Blanche though, progress often has an underlying existence that is very dark. Not all progress is good and Blanche symbolizes this. Williams’s comparisons between Blanche and progress serve to show how progress can be a force that precipitates each individual’s desperate choices; that is, their ability to throw ideas, love, etc. out into the world in the hopes of moving forward. By unveiling a theme that is still pertinent today, â€Å"A Streetcar Named Desire† makes its mark as a piece of classic literature, which will be read for generations to come. Works Cited Williams, Tennessee. A Streetcar Named Desire. New York: Signet Printing, 1980.