English is a Germanic language, at heart, but if you speak it in your everyday life then you’re speaking Latin without realizing it. The same goes for French; as much as 45 percent of spoken English derives from French, even if English speakers pronounce the words or phrases differently. The main focus of this article, however, is on the dead language of Latin, which was once the dominant language of Western civilization as well as the official language of scholarship.
The world has changed dramatically since Latin was spoken on the streets of ancient Rome; many schools today in the United States offer no Latin whatsoever despite the fact that it can be incredibly useful in both school and real life. Want to learn French, Spanish or Italian? Just learn Latin and you can potentially kill four birds with one stone; for example, the latin word for “love” is amare, while the French, Spanish and Italian versions are, respectively, amour, amor and amore.
The Latin phrases, below, are all used in English speaking countries, whether it be in the fields of literature, law or, gasp, standardized tests. Would you believe me if I told you that students who studied Latin word roots and phrases scored nearly 150 points better on the SAT verbal section than those who didn’t? It’s a skill that not many people take the time to learn, but learning Latin can seriously pay off when you need it to, whether it’s on a grueling standardized test, or in your professional life. If you make it to the end of this list, you will be able to safely say, Invictus maneo! (I remain unvanquished!)
1. Non sequitur: it does not follow.
Example: "Oh, he dropped out of college, so he must not be very smart," or "My psychiatrist is weird, so all psychiatrists must be weird."
2. Citius altius fortius: faster, higher, stronger.
This is the motto of the Olympic Games.
3. Aut neca aut necare: either kill or be killed.
It's best not to take this one literally, but it still carries meaning thousands of years since the warring times of ancient Rome and the Middle Ages.
4. Barba non facit philosophum: a beard doesn't make one a philosopher.
This phrase can be applied to other circumstances as well; does having a tennis racket and tennis clothes make one a tennis player? Does having a shiny new Ferrari and five-story house make one rich?
5. Docendo disco, scribendo cogito: I learn by teaching, think by writing.
Scientific studies back this one up as well; one is able to retain difficult information better by teaching it to someone else, and writing can allow your thoughts to flow more freely.
6. Habeas corpus: you should have the body.
A legal term that involves determining if a prisoner is being detained legally.
7. In omnia paratus: ready for anything.
It's why space agencies like NASA rehearse rocket launches for years before sending their astronauts anywhere.
8. Intelligenti pauca: few words suffice for he who understands.
Beautifully put in only two words.
9. Mea culpa: my fault.
Infinitely better than "my bad."
10. Semper fidelis: always faithful.
The motto for the United States Marine Corps (often abbreviated, "Semper Fi").
11. Sum quod eris: I am what you will be.
You may spot this written in a cemetery; it's intended to remind one of one's mortality.
12. Bono malum superate: overcome evil with good.
A useful reminder that we needn't fight fire with fire sometimes.
13. Carpe diem: seize the day.
The good news is you already are by reading this article.
14. Corruptissima re publica plurimae leges: when the republic is at its most corrupt the laws are most numerous.
Sage advice that has historically been ignored by most governments.
15. E pluribus unum: out of many, one.
A phrase on the United States seal that I recited every day at my elementary school.
16. Habemus papam: we have a Pope.
If you hear the Catholic Church at the Vatican City say this during an election, they've come to a decision.
17. Labor omnia vincit: hard work conquers all.
This phrase should be taken very seriously by those who wish to follow their dreams and watch them become a reality.
BONUS: Admiror, o paries, te non cecidisse, qui tot scriptorium taedia sustineas: I wonder, O wall, that you have not yet collapsed, so many writers' clichés do you bear.
A line of graffiti that was found written on several walls around Pompeii.
