Guest Blog by Katie Wilson.
The Top 4 Modern Uses of Latin
Latin is one of the most difficult languages to learn, especially in modern society. Most find that there is no longer a need for Latin unless you are in the medical field or the classics. This dead language is actually the cornerstone of our modern-day English language (even society) and therefore deserves to be studied more than it has been as of late. Latin is a beautiful language and is the building block upon which came Spanish, French, English, and most of the Western “Romance” languages.
- The roots of many words are Latin
Unbeknownst to many in present-day society, most of our words derive from older, Latin words which were created centuries ago. For example, abdicate comes from the Latin word abdico, which also has different conjugations of abdicare, abdicavi, and abdicates. It is helpful to students of linguistics, or even students in general, to understand where certain vocabulary words come from, in order for them to grasp the full meaning and background of the word. When learning Latin, these cognate-type words are helpful in retaining more of the vocabulary.
- Currency
Our forefathers were well-schooled in Latin, and therefore chose to use different phrases to place on the backs of coins as well as on bills in circulation. How many people know the story or correct definition of e pluribus unum or annuit coeptis? These are some of the lasting mottos of our country and every citizen should be approached to learn the full meanings of at least these phrases.
- Quid Pro Quo
Phrases such as this have become increasingly mainstream in our communities and in order to determine what is being said, you need to have a basic understanding and history of the phrase. There are many such phrases that have wormed their way into common circulation around the country, and it is easier to comprehend these phrases once you have at least some knowledge of Latin engrained within. Graduation ceremonies contain many various Latin phrases, with the words in absentia used when a student does not attend, or magnum cum laude, which indicates a student of great honors.
- Abbrevs.
Standard modern day abbreviations have their roots in Latin as well. Every mass-used abbreviation comes from a previous Latin phrase: etc. is “et cetera”, r.i.p. is “requiem in pace”, e.g. is “exempli gratia”, and so on. This is a part of everyday Latin usage which many people are unaware of. How many people know the true definition behind A.M. and P.M. (anti meridian and post meridian)? And how many people understand the meanings behind these definitions to mean before noon and after noon?
A good starter course in Latin would work wonders on any person in modern day society hoping to get ahead in the world. It is a language that transgresses time and has the ability to mold into any language as it remains the founding block for every “romance” language. A deeper understanding of Latin can even result in an easier grasp of all its sub-languages across Europe.
This post was contributed by Katie Wilson, who writes about the universities online. She welcomes your feedback at KatieWilson06 at gmail.com
