Nobody knows for sure how many words there are in the English language because new words are being added all the time, but the number of words is estimated to be between 250,000 and a million.  One reason for English’s large vocabulary is that it is a very inclusive language, meaning it absorbs words from other tongues with relative ease.  Here is another instillation* in my ongoing series looking at foreign (or loan words) that are commonly used in English.  Below the definitions and examples of these words are a few practice fill-in-the-blank sentences for you try out this vocabulary.  I’ll post the answers to these fill-in-the-blanks on Sunday (two posts from now).  Good luck!

aficionado (Spanish) – An ardent or devoted fan of a sport or art form.
For example:  John is a soccer aficionado.

chic (French) – This word is synonymous with “fashionable” or “stylish.”  It is used to describe an outfit, object, or place that is sophisticated or that has style.
For example: I can’t wait to show you the chic new dress I bought in New York last weekend.

fiasco (Italian) – A word that means something was a complete failure.
For example:  The party was a total fiasco, nothing went the way it was supposed to and many people left early.

gung ho (Mandarin Chinese) – This is a slang word that means “extremely enthusiastic” or “dedicated”.
For example: Jane is gung ho for her new position as manager.

kaput (German) – Something that has stopped working.
For example: How long ago did the radio go kaput?

kayak (Inuit) – A type of boat in which a person sits down with his or her legs in front and then uses a double-bladed paddle to move the boat through the water.
For example: We are going to take our kayaks out to the lake this weekend, would you like to come?

placebo (Latin) – An inactive substance used as a control in an experiment to determine the effectiveness of a real medicinal substance.  Something of no medical value that is used to appease or reassure a patient.
For example: Paula was given a placebo, but she started to feel better anyway.  That is what scientist call the “placebo effect”.

pundit (Sanskrit) – A source of opinion; a critic; or a learned person.
For example: The political pundits are on all of the news programs today talking about the upcoming election.

to schmooze (Yiddish) – To talk socially without exchanging too much information.
For example: The mayor walked around the election party shmoozing with all of the guests.

tycoon (Japanese) – A wealthy and powerful businessperson.
For example: James is an entertainment industry tycoon; he knows all the important people you will need to talk to to become a star.

Practice:

1. The ________ discussed the positives and negatives of the new law, giving his opinion on why the law should be passed.
2. Everyone was talking about the  ______ new shoes Sally wore to the party last night.
3. The rookie was ___________ to play in his first game.
4. The engine of Jessie’s car went ________ unexpectedly and he called for a tow.
5. Having years of experience eating well, the chef is an __________ of fine food.

*instillation = a part of a series that consists of multiple components that are connected to one another