English verbs come from several historical layers. The oldest and most frequently used verbs—be, have, do, go, come, and make—are Germanic in origin, while…
Everyday decisions rely on two broad ways of knowing. Sometimes we begin with a principle, definition, or logical rule and work toward a conclusion. At other…
The word manifesto is now associated with public declarations, political programs, artistic movements, and statements of purpose. A manifesto may announce a…
Few Latin phrases have traveled so widely through sacred music as Agnus Dei. Usually translated as “Lamb of God,” the expression appears in Christian worship,…
The calendar is one of the most familiar structures inherited from Rome. Its months organize elections, religious festivals, school terms, legal deadlines,…
The phrase post mortem is familiar in medicine, law, journalism, and everyday speech. Its literal Latin meaning is “after death,” from post (“after”) and…
Latin has given English a compact vocabulary for describing sequence, historical periods, and relationships between events. Three especially useful terms are…
Few Latin phrases have traveled as far from their original setting as cogito ergo sum. Usually translated as “I think, therefore I am,” the sentence appears to…
Political speeches often reach backward in time to make sense of the present. A carefully chosen Latin phrase can give a sentence the authority of history, the…