Articles

TitleDateExcerpt
The Term Alma Mater in Educational InstitutionsWalk through a university campus and the phrase alma mater may appear in a crest, a graduation song, an alumni magazine, or a ceremonial speech. It sounds…
Alma mater and the feeling of school belongingAlma mater is a Latin phrase used for a school, college or university regarded as the place that has nurtured its students. In everyday English, it carries…
Vox populi and the formation of public opinionThe familiar Latin formula ā€œvox populi, vox Deiā€ is usually rendered ā€œthe voice of the people is the voice of God.ā€ Its attraction lies in its compression of a…
Vicarious liability and the law of responsibilityThe use of vicarious liability in legal responsibility asks where an organisation must answer for a worker’s wrong. An employer may be liable for an employee’s…
The meaning of via media in the middle wayVia media is a compact Latin expression for finding a course between opposing positions. Its force lies in naming a deliberate route that respects what can be…
Verbatim and word for word quotingQuoting a person word for word is more than placing words between quotation marks. It is a claim that the wording has been reproduced without changes to…
Five-Reel Slots And Twenty Lines: How The Format WorksThe phrase ā€œslot a 5 rulli e 20 lineeā€ describes a familiar online casino format: a five-reel slot machine with twenty active paylines. In English, this is…
Ultra crepidam and the limits of expertiseUltra crepidam is a compact Latin warning about a familiar social error: speaking, judging or advising where competence ends. Its imagery comes from a cobbler…
Tu Quoque and the Fallacy of HypocrisyTu quoque is one of Latin’s most immediately recognisable expressions. Usually translated as ā€œyou too,ā€ it began as a literal reply but acquired a combative…
Sub Silentio And The Meaning Of Implicit Judicial DecisionsLegal language often preserves ideas that ordinary English expresses less precisely. Sub silentio, meaning ā€œunder silenceā€ or ā€œin silenceā€, describes a…