A little Latin never hurt anyone
Do you ever feel a bit unschooled when you hear or read a Latin phrase and don’t know what it means? Don't! Many aren't as familiar with common Latin phrases as they would like to be. Latin is a dead language (meaning it doesn't evolve or change through usage anymore), but many of its words and phrases are firmly fixed in the modern English lexicon. So, here are 7 phrases that everyone should probably know and that might be useful for sprucing up your writing a bit.
Ad hominem
Literally: to the man
To ridicule or attack a person, rather than then substance of their argument. Most of us are familiar with this sort of thing; it occurs in many contexts. For example, imagine a debate where someone makes a demeaning statement about his opponent’s haircut, instead of countering the substance of their argument - this would be an ad hominem attack. Although this example is obvious, some ad hominems are very subtle and difficult to catch.
Ad infinitum
Literally: to infinity
Ad infinitum commonly refers to an endless repetition of something.
Example: A few examples would have been enough, but my grammar teacher gave us examples of proper adverb usage ad infinitum.
Non sequitur
Literally: does not follow
A non sequitur is a logical fallacy and refers to a statement that doesn’t logically follow a previous statement. For instance, if I said “Exercise is healthy. So, I eat broccoli.” it would be a non sequitur because one statement doesn’t logically follow the other (unless you consider eating a form of exercise!) Non sequiturs occur most often in arguments, debates, and comedy.
Ad nauseam
Literally: to the point of nausea
Similar in meaning to ad infinitum, but with the added sense of causing disgust in the listener.
Example: My sister gossips about her colleagues ad nauseam.
Ad hoc
Literally: to this or for this
Something created for a temporary and specific purpose. It most often applies to a temporary committee created by a business or government. However, it can also apply to a non-standard or improvised way of doing something.
Examples:
The mayor created an ad hoc committee to analyze the efficacy of the new anti-graffiti task force.
or
The colonel’s ad hoc decisions on the battlefield often angered his superiors.
Modus operandi
Literally: way of operating
Often abbreviated as M.O., this phrase describes a customary way of doing something. It can be used in a wide variety of contexts, but it’s frequently used in describing criminal actions. Example: The burglar’s M.O. is to disable security systems before entering victim’s homes.
Persona non grata
Literally: an unwelcome person
Officially, this term is used in diplomatic settings when a diplomat or other official is no longer welcome by a foreign government and ordered to leave. However, in common usage it describes any unwelcome person in any situation. Example: “I became persona non grata at the party after making vulgar remarks about the host’s sister.”
A final word of advice
When using Latin quips – like flattery, a little bit goes a long way. So, don’t overuse or be ostentatious with it. If its use would clearly disrupt the flow of speech or writing, skip it. Also, these phrases are all firmly established in the language and have quite specific usages, so it’s best to honor those carefully, lest you do more harm than good to your writing. Finally, even if you don’t feel confident enough to incorporate Latin into your vocabulary, it’s always good to know a little in order to understand others who do use it.
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