Tuesday, 25 February 2014

Latin Used in Modern Day

The Romance languages, such as Spanish, Italian, Romanian, Portugese, are derived from Latin.

Latin is the language of the Roman Catholic Church.  There are fewer Latin masses than in the past.  The one church in the Niagara Region that still has a Latin mass every week is St. Aloysius Parish located at 317 Morton Street in Thorold, Ontario.  Pro Populo (Mass for the People) is at 11 a.m. every Sunday (of the Roman Catholic Diocese of St. Catharines).

Many legal terms are in Latin.  “Subpoena” is an order requiring a person to testify in court.  “Pro bono” is when a lawyer does work for a client free of charge.  “Quid pro quo” means to request something in exchange for a service provided.

Common expressions from Latin:
R.I.P. from “requiescat in pace” meaning rest in peace
i.e. from “id est” meaning in other words
e.g. from “exempli gratia” meaning for example
“Gaudeamus igitur” meaning so let us rejoice
“Magna cum laudae” meaning with great honours
“Chromium” in the periodic table of chemical elements (the chrome, metal)

“Trans-” meaning across, over or beyond and used in words such as transplant, transfusion.

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