Thursday, April 2, 2009

Et Tu England?

The following note includes foreign loan words you might not know. I have included English translations in order to eschew obfuscation.

Circa (around) 43 A.D., (in the year of our lord) Rome invaded England. Post hoc ergo propter hoc (after this, therefore, because of this) many Latin phrases joined the English language: et cetera, (and the rest). Now, the long reign of Latin in English is coming to an end. Sic transit gloria mundi (Thus passes the glory of the world). Town councils in England have noted that many people use Latin ad nauseum (to the point of nausea), and asked, “nihilo sanctum estne?” (Is nothing sacred?) These people do not like those of us who commonly use Latin phrases, and vice versa (with position turned). It would seem that these people want English to return to a tabula rasa (scraped tablet), uncontaminated by other languages. I retort that this was never actually the status quo (situation in which). A contrario (from the opposite), the English language emerged e pluribus unum (from many, one).

E.g. (for the purpose of example), anyone who has graduated from kindergarten (children’s garden) and is smarter than a Neanderthal (native of Neander Valley) should plainly see that foreign loan words in the English language are much more than just kitsch (cheap), and to declare Latin verboten (forbidden) would imply that all loan words are kaput (out of order).
England claims that too many people use Latin phrases à gogo (in abundance), regardless of how à propos (regarding) they may be, simply because Latin has a certain je ne sais quoi (I don’t know what). To that, I say “au contraire.” (a contrario) Even if people use Latin merely because it’s chic (stylish), is that really a reason to bid adieu (to god) to a whole language? No. C’est la vie (that’s life).

Even if every town in England bans Latin de jure (in law), it will never disappear de facto (in fact). It would take deus ex machina (god from machine) to enforce such a law. Too many bona fide (in good faith) English words and phrases come from Latin. Moreover, many works of literature already have Latin in them. In order to ban it fully, the law would have to be ex post facto (from a thing done afterward). William Shakespeare himself, the ne plus ultra (nothing more beyond) of English writing has been known to use Latin. Any argument toward a better English language that discriminates against the bard is malum in se (wrong in itself). Under scrutiny, it becomes clear that the argument against Latin comes from nowhere, and is a non sequiter (it doesn’t follow).

In summation, I have only one question: is Latin dead? Nisilum sacnus estne (???)? Only you can say. Thank you for your time.

Q.E.D.
(That which was to be demonstrated)