Member-only story
Pretentious Words Are So Absurd — Are You Guilty?

In defence of English eliminate the Frenglish
I plead guilty.
Not only of using pompous English words which do nothing but show me up as a braggart on the range of my vocabulary, but also throwing in French words to communicate my cosmopolitan character.
I confess to crossing the line with paradigms and the odd faux pas.
But, being a Latin scholar, I do not regard per se and ergo as criminal offences.
Look, I’ve served my sentence and mended my ways. Well, some of them.
Breaking the rules is freedom of speech. At the least, it’s freedom of expression provided I don’t offend.

Frenchy Fried
No French fries here.
(Though they’re extremely tasty with tangy mayonnaise. What? You use tomato ketchup? A visit to Belgium will set you right. I discovered that culinary delight in Antwerp 47 years ago — you should try it.)
Here are some Frenglish words that may explain why the French hate us for bastardizing their language. The…