This article is classified "Real"
The first thing that must be done (lest it be thought that I have a secret
agenda) in this article is to define some notation. Throughout this
article, Latin words will be placed in italics. Since I am restricted to
7-bit ascii, this will be indicated by enclosing italicized words in
underscores. For example, exempli gratia is in italics. This formalism
is necessary to prevent Latin from sneaking into the article incognito.
Let me stress that I have nothing against Latin qua Latin. It is a noble
language, and indeed it is the root of approximately three-quarters of the
English lexicon. In fact, there are quite a few words that are now
considered to be English that have come straight from the Latin. An
example is exit. In theatre scripts, one often sees the variant exeunt
omnes, but then theatre people have always been noted for carrying on like
all get out. Show me a playwright and I will show you an ego.
I have no problem with the use of Latin per se. For example, how many
people realize that by naming their dogs Rex or Fido, they have ipso
facto unwittingly named them in Latin? [1]
There is a disturbing trend, however, for Latin to find its way into
English sentences where there is no bona fide justification for it.
Often a speaker (or an author) will use a Latin phrase in an attempt to
flaunt their education. Dropping Latin phrases into one's sentences
(quid pro quo,deus ex machina, et cetera) is in many ways a de
facto equivalent in academic circles of the name-dropping practiced by
celebrities and their hangers-on. Rather than trying to suggest that they
were almost caught in flagrante delicto with Claudia Schiffer, the
academic will drop the occasional Latin phrase in the hope that his
listeners will think that he is an emeritus professor who graduated
summa cum laude from literae humaniores at his Alma Mater, Oxford.
Of course, attempting to ad lib. with Latin phrases in English is not
without risk. The onus is on the speaker to avoid errors. Imagine the
derision to which an airline official would be subjected if he claimed
that a bomb had been allowed onto a plane (in the luggage of a person who
did not board the flight) due to a manifest non sequitur.
One must also be very careful about spelling. I have seen people write
things like add norseum [sick], which looks like an instruction from a
recipe incorporating Vikings. Errors such as this will very quickly
result in one becoming persona non grata with the very people one was
setting out to impress.
There is a more subtle trap for the unwary Latin user. Occasionally an
innocent Latin phrase can sound quite rude when heard by native English
speakers. I am sure that Queen Elizabeth II would never have used the
expression annus horribilis if she had considered the sort of puns that
the tabloid press were likely to come up with a posteriori.
Do not be totally discouraged. I do think there is a place for the
occasional bit of Latin-dropping. Any attempt to eliminate Latin from
English usage would quickly result in a reductio ad absurdem. My advice
is simply this: Be careful. Be sure of your facts before you seize the
day and use carpe diem in a sentence.
--- FINIS ---
Postscriptum: The number of Latin words that are used in this way is very
large. I could continue producing examples (for instance, ad infinitem)
forever. I think, however, that I have proved that which had to be proved.
Ergo, I see no need to discuss phrases such as quod erat demonstrandem.
[1] The translations being "King" and "I am faithful," retrospectively.