A walk through a garden, woodland, or kitchen can become a lesson in botanical language. The rose on a trellis is Rosa, the oak in a park may be Quercus, and…
Few Latin expressions have traveled as successfully from religious ritual into ordinary speech as mea culpa. Literally meaning “my fault,” the phrase has…
Formal argument depends on visible connections between claims. A reader should be able to see when evidence supports a conclusion, when a premise limits an…
Few Latin legal maxims have the dramatic force of fiat justitia ruat caelum. Usually translated as “let justice be done though the heavens fall,” the phrase…
English vocabulary contains thousands of words formed from Latin roots, and prefixes often provide the first clue to what those words mean. A prefix is a word…
Few Latin sayings capture the instability of fame as sharply as sic transit gloria mundi. Usually translated as “thus passes the glory of the world,” the…
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,…