Latin is a language,
Dead as Dead Can Be,
First it Killed the Romans,
Now It’s Killing Me.
All are dead who spoke it.
All are dead who wrote it.
All are dead who learned it,
Lucky dead, they’ve earned it.
My bride and I teach CCD to fifth and sixth graders. Last night was the last CCD class for the year and we gave a small impromptu lesson on Latin to the kids during the class. They seemed to enjoy it. Time to revive learning of the traditional language of the Church.
I have been torturing my co-workers at “Neutrons ‘R Us” with Latin for decades now. I usually arrive into work first in the morning and make the coffee, affixing to the coffee flasks post-it notes labelled with the days of the week in Latin so that everyone will know the coffee has been freshly made:
LunaeDies
MartisDies
MercuriiDies
IovisDies
VenerisDies
And when we work weekends (remember, you like your nuclear-generated electricity on weekends):
SaturniDies
SolisDies
And from time to time I teach either nuclear systems training (for boiling and pressurized water reactors) or nuclear software QA for (a) embedded software in digital instrumentation and controls, or (b) analytical codes for reactor engineering. Word etymology has become such fun, especially with the young millennials recently graduated from college who really don’t know what English words and phrases mean, like Commercial Grade Dedication, Quality Assurance, Requirement Specification, etc. It is as though I spend much time teaching not nuclear-related matters, but basic English word meaning. Such is the result of today’s liberal progressive feminist Academia! In ullo evento, gaudeatis! (PS, there are a few Greek words below).
Acceptance
Accipere
To take, grasp, receive, accept, undertake, admit
Analyze
ἀναλύω
To loosen again
Anomaly
ανὁμαλος
Not the same
Assurance
Ad + Securus
To, towards, next to + safe, secure
Commercial
Conmercium
Trade, traffic, commerce
Configuration
Configurare
To mold, shape, fashion, form
Dedication
Dedicare
To consecrate, devote, commit
Defect
Deficere
To fail, desert
Description
Describere
To describe, draw, mark, trace out, copy, transcribe, write down
Design
Designare
To mark, point out, trace out, outline, describe
Documentation
Docere + Mens
To teach, show, point out + Mind, reason, intellect, judgment
Error
Errare
To wander, go astray, make a mistake, vacillate, err
Grade
Gradus
Step, position
Inspect
Inspectare
To look within
Integrity
Integritas
Soundness, chastity, integrity
Level
Libella
Plumb line, level
Management
Manus + Mens
Hand + Mind, reason, intellect, judgment
Method
μετά + ὁδός
After + way, motion, journey
Plan
Planus
Level flat surface
Procedure
Procedere
To proceed, advance, appear
Quality
Qualitas
Character, nature, characteristic, distinguishing quality
Report
Reportare
To carry back, report
Requirement
Requirere
To require, seek, ask, need, miss
Review
Revidere
To see / consider / look at again
Specification
Specere + Facere
To look at or see + To make or do
Test
Testum
Earthen pot filled with water in which metals were tried
Traceability
Tractus + Habilis
Having been drawn, dragged, held + Handy, easy to manage
Verification
Verificare
To verify, confirm the truth / authenticity, show to be true
Thank you, Lucius Quinctius Cincinnatus;
I was not so good in Latin but as you have demonstrated here, the Latin language gives one a vocabulary and comprehension of words unlike any other language. It is the basis for the Romance languages, Italian, Spanish and French
At one time it was the only language spoken in the universities of Europe. About 40% of the Polish tongue is straight from the Latin.
Again, Lucius Quinctius Cincinnatus, your exposition of the Latin is brilliant
Homeschoolers, the ones who tend to go for things “Classical” at least, are already reviving Latin, as well as Greek. Memoria Press has been leading the charge, and their items are very user (parent/student) friendly, as well as solid (reprints of Henle’s are available for advanced students. Ironically, I bought my hard bound set–all four volumes, unused–in a bookstore in Tokyo.) The last I heard, the numbers of students who have been taking the National Latin Exam has been increasing each year. The graph is here: https://nle.org/pdf/reports/NLEgraph2014.pdf
I’m under the impression that studying Latin assists in organizing one’s thoughts for oral/written communication and advances logical thought processes. Obviously, I took Spanish.
Does anybody have the Latin word for “taxes?” I have googled but can’t seem to find a good one.
Anyhow, you don’t resort to Latin to show up liberals. They are far too stupid. So stupid that they don’t realize they’ve been shown up. Smugness/arrogance are merely symptoms of stupidity for which there is no cure.
For T. Shaw, this may have already been posted here at TAC:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IQ735XFROZk
Also, from William Whittaker’s [Latin] words:
vectigal, vectigalis N N 3 4 N [XXXCX]
tax, tribute, revenue;
tributum, tributi N N 2 2 N [XXXCX]
tax, tribute;
portorium, portori(i) N N 2 4 N [XXXCX]
port duty; customs duty; tax;
inlatio, inlationis N F 3 1 F [EXXCP]
|contribution/pension; tribute/tax; offering/sacrifice; petition; offer (oath);
I have had no instruction in Latin, but I love it anyway. The greatest Catholic hymns are in Latin. A massive amount of the English language comes from Latin and most people don’t know it. The preface to the University of Chicago Spanish English dictionary rightly points out that Latin is not really dead. Castillo Spanish is simply a modern form of Latin. The Church in the West, rightly referred to as the Latin Church, gave glory to God and still does in Latin. It is our birthright and duty to know enough Latin to worship God.
A favorite poem from Hilarie Belloc.. Wherever the Catholic sun does shine, There’s always laughter and fine red wine At least I’ve found it to be so Benedicamus Domino.
Veni, vidi, Deus vicit…Jan III Sobieski.
Thanks, Gaius Lucius!
How does “Dulce Tributum Inexpertis” work as a canned response to liberals constant demands for higher taxes?
Dulce = sweet (nominative singular neuter 3rd declension)
Tributum = tribute, tax (nominative singular neuter 2nd declension)
Inexpertis = to or for the inexperienced or untried (dative plural masculine 2nd declension)
Sweet tribute for the inexperienced! I like it, T. Shaw!
It’s made a comeback at the two local public high schools. Both my children are taking it, and surprisingly, quite a few others . Unfortunately most of the diocese high schools don’t offer it. But they offer Chinese. Can’t make this stuff up.
A major reason for our homeschooling our children is to teach them Latin and Greek (and, if possible, a bit of Hebrew). We are very far from alone in that.
However, Latin is not altogether absent from the public schools. It’s offered in our area. The wife of one of my colleagues is a high-school Latin teacher. Her classes are permanently oversubscribed.
Shows also the utility of French. Without knowing much French, one can look at a French text and recognize the meaning of so many words. Our English is a blend of the Anglo-Saxon in place in 1066, medieval French a,d Latin, Plus words taken in from other nations owing to trade with many countries. Not to forget the Greek that flows in owing to it being the language of philosophy.
My Finnish wife once had a tape produced by a Finn: Elvis in Latin. I believe it must have been Dr. Ammondt covers. Here’s a sample. (And you haven’t lived until you have heard “Achy Breaky Heart” in Finnish.)https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DTCCAw_3rqk