Amo, Amas, Amat and More

I love Latin phrases - especially the way one can say so much with so few words. This little gem of a book includes many useful phrases - both ones in widespread use, and ones with which many people are not familiar but which have great utility. The author decided to omit medical phrases, which is too bad, since many people encounter at least some of those on their pill bottles, but, as he bemoans, one has to draw the line somewhere.

The only quibble one might have with this excellent little compendium is the pronunciation guide. On the good side, every part of every word is rendered phonetically. But the author chooses to abide by the pronunciation guidelines he learned in his own studies, pronouncing the C as a K (so for example, show more instead of sis-er-o for Cicero he would say KIH-keh-roh, or instead of ser-ka for circa he would say KIRH-kah). Also, he sticks with pronouncing the V as if it were W, so for In Vino Veritas he shows the pronunciation as in WEE-noh WAY-rih tahs.

Germanic tongues (including English) pretty much render at least the initial C in a Latin word as S, and V apparently replaced W since the early 3rd Century even in Latin except in academia.

But no matter; the author makes clear at the beginning what his scheme is, and you can substitute your own method ad libitum however you like! show less

Not exactly a book to be read cover to cover, but a fun browser, and an indispensable reference. Especially useful is the English index to phrases - a sort of reverse look up. And the compiler's love of Latin and subtle wit shines through every phrase. Carpe diem, carpe hune librum!

Though the title promises more, this is a dictionary of Latin phrases. What makes this dictionary different from other dictionary of phrases is the author's love of Latin. He not only gives a rather wooden definition of the Latin phrase, he then goes into the history and the uses of the phrases, which makes the book not only a handy compendium but also an interesting book to read. William F. Buckley's short and readable introduction blames Vatican II for the demise of Latin in our culture, but with the help of this book the reader can understand and use many of the phrases that have imbedded themselves in our culture.

Not Read

With Brief Introduction by William F. Buckley.