Inside Philippine politics & beyond

So you think you know Latin

Share:
LinkedIn0
Pinterest0

One of the things that has come out of this huge debate over the DAP controversy is the resurrection of a dead language called Latin.

There was a time in Manila that Latin was de regueur   among the youth. If you didn’t know any Latin you would not count.

Today, only lawyers, doctors and priests have preserved this language that even Italians no longer speak, unless they attend  a Messa in Latino in one of those tiny churches in Italy attended by old women.

My hubby Alan, who speaks three languages, decided to delve into Latin and he made a surprising discovery. Latin, although long dead and long buried, is still evolving. Especially in the legal field.

And so he decided to write about his findings:

Legal Latin for idiots

Hot Manila – by Alan Robles
One of the results of the ongoing debate about the constitutionality of the Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP) is that it has attracted flocks of lawyers spouting legal terms the public can barely understand.

It’s like somebody kicked a huge legal beehive over and a great angry swarm of bees flew out, all of them buzzing in Latin.

Lawyers, judges, law students, fresh law grads and legal experts have surrounded the Constitution, fiercely arguing among themselves and attacking any non-lawyer who dares come close, warding off the masses with high-level law degree wands casting Latin bolts.

Some of them sound like high priests or adepts muttering incantations that resemble Harry Potter spells. Nobody is sure if they’re trying to impress the public or mumbling enchantments to raise the unholy dead (i.e., Marcos). For all we know, one of the enchantments is a “Latin Force field of Repulsion.”

This is particularly hard on most journalists, whose knowledge of Latin is close to zero (nullus maximus) and whose range of professional expressions is limited to phrases like “I’m not finished yet”, or “but I sent it already!”, or “I’ll pay that later” or “one for the road.”

Just about the only Latin expression they understand is “et cetera” and how often does that come out in legal arguments? We’re guessing the lawyers make sure they avoid using it, to prevent anybody from accidentally understanding and following the discussion.

So, as part of our strict and ongoing commitment to public service, we’re publishing this brief list of legal Latin terms and sayings in the hope that this will enrich the discussion and help journalists understand what’s going on as they take one more for the road.

To read the rest, please click on this link.

 

 

 

 

Comments

  1. Latin Trivia (part 4)
    Parekoy

    Street Activist – Mama-Latin

    Leftist – Latin-kontra

    Coryista – Latin-naka-yellow

    Gloria – Latin-naka-neckbrace

    Joker – Latin-Simangot

    Bong – Latin-Cavite

    Revilla – Latin-pamilya

    Erap – Latin-Tondo

    Jinggoy – Latin-Mayabang

    Enrile – Latin-peste

    Enrile – Latin-naka-viagra

    PNoy – Latin-noo

    Abad – Latin-Latin-problema

    Gigi – Latin-nerbiyosa

    Honasan – Latin-nagkuku

    Sotto – Latin-copy

    Shawie – Latin-appetite

    Kiko –Latin-takuza

    VIP – Big-Latin

    Drilon – Latin- Pig-Latin

    Drilon – Latin-balimbing

    Chiz – Latin-epal

    Macoy – Latin-frozen

    Alcoholic – Latin-Go

    Whale – Latin-isda

    Filipino Poor – Latin-gutom

    Critic – Latin-Mo

    DAP – Latin-Gulo

    Jeproks – Latin-sa-layaw

    Pulis – Latin-kotong

    Meralco – Latin-brownout

    Lotto – Latin-Panalo

    Miriam – Latin-praning

    Pacquiao – Latin-panalo

    Chavit – Latin-alalay-ni-pakyaw

    Kris’ favorite music –Latin-Nota

    Kris – Latin-O-A

    Newspaper – Bu-Latin

    Plunderer –Latin-magnakaw

    Assoc Justice Ong – Latin-talent-fee

    Jenny’s pet – Belat-Latin

    Junjun – Latin-nakapayong

    Binay’s Motto –Latin-Handa!

    Mar Roxas – Latin-nagmumura

    CPM’ers- Latin-nasa-internet

    Parekoy – Latin-pilyo

    —
    —

    Ngongo na vendor’s comment on Binay’s quest for the presidency:

     Mama-Latin-sya!

    —

    Parekoy
    07/26/2014
    Posting after eating panghimagas called BeLatina (yummy!)

    • As guide to understand the meaning, “Latin” could mean the following:

      Laging
      Laking
      Lasing
      Latin

  2. marcus ferdiricus impactum – totally made up, but sounds like a chant to exorcise a dictator.

  3. ab extra – receiving funding from a 3rd party, like the pork scammers
    ad infinitum – to infinity, like the binay dynasty
    anemas revertendi – intention to return, like to Malacanang – marcoses
    non compos mentis – not having mental capacity to perform some legal act – who?
    in flagrante delicto – in blazing offense, like a couple caught in the act of sexual intercourse – not me
    in pari delicto – in equal offense, like PNoy and SC committing cross-border transfers
    ipsissima verba – the very words, like a document or ruling being quoted by another – sottocopy
    lex posterior derogat priori – later law removes the earlier, like the Adm Code of 1987
    lex retro non agit – the law does not operate retroactively – DAP?

  5. Tabular Raissa – Raissa’s blog in Excel format

    In absentia – Si Manny Pacquiao sa Kongreso

    Veni vidi voodoo – The Binays of Makati

    Ante mirriam – Si Ping Lacson

    Ang posteriosa – Anak ni Napoles

    Arte et maarte – Sakit ni Gloria , nakuha ni Gigi

    Abad nauseum – Gusto sabihin ni Carpio sa DAP SC ruling

    Carpio dem yu – Gusto sabihin ni Abad sa SC

    Abad victoriam – Gusto ng Cabinet mangyari

  6. I think Latin is the old-school game-boy or X-box or whatever tools youngsters are using these days. It was a challenge to master, to comprehend, to use better than the next guy. Each verb (thanks for the conjugation joke, Leona) was like a little Mario, to be bopped about through a maze of other Latin words and put into place to reach the final goal . . . seemingly intelligent expression that no one else could comprehend.

    Now Latin is technologically not necessary.

    One of my favorite visual images is Senator Santiago at the podium passionately pounding out mysterious, high-falutin’ Latin phrases intermixed with sex jokes.

    Beautiful. Simply beautiful.

  7. Latin Trivia (Part 3)

    Do you know some names or phrases derived from Latin?

    Lawmakers – Pig Latin

    Honest Lawmaker’s Plea- Huwang namang Latin

    Gulaman – Ge-Latin

    Claudine Baretto – Pek-Latin

    Matutina – Magugu-Latin

    Parekoy’s Favorite Gal – Latin-a

    Pussycat – Bulat-Latin

    Latin Trivia (Part 3) – A-a-Latin
    —-

    Parekoy
    07/26/2014
    Posting while eating gLatin free bread.

  8. I lifted this from a friend’s post in FB dahil may LATIN sa huli:
    ***********************************
    “What’s up for the Second Regular Session of the 16th Congress?

    On the political front…
    DAP issues
    PDAF scam’s continuing saga
    JDF investigation
    Impeachment proceedings
    2016 overtures…

    On the legislative front…
    GAA 2015
    EPIRA amendments
    Charter Change
    Archipelagic Sea Lanes
    Customs Modernization Act
    Anti Trust Act
    PAG-ASA Modernization
    FOI Act
    Anti-Dynasty Act
    Whistle Blowers Protection Act
    Revision of the Criminal Code
    Bangsamoro Basic Law

    HOR, quo vadis?”

    QUO VADIS – KU BAD ASS!!!

  9. Latin Trivia (Part 2)

    Do you know that Amen is the most used Latin word of the Priests, Bishops, Pastors, and other Religious Leaders in the Philippines?

    The rivals fighting for our salvation, The Catholic Church, The Iglesia ni Kristo, El Shaddai, various Protestant denominations, agree on one thing:

    Amen!

    Amen!

    Praise the Lord!

    Amen!

    Amen! na ang iyong abuloy

    Amen!

    Parekoy
    07/26/2014
    Posting after readying the envelop for the Sunday offering.
    –
    *Amen – an interjection used to agree with, affirm, approve

    • Ginagamit din ng mga Muslim ang Ameen (Arabic), at ganun din sa Hebrew, at ang Aramaic ng lenguahe ni HK.

      • @ymor,

        Correct ka! Kasi galing yan sa Hebrew. Ang Christianity bale derived din ang mga traditions sa mga hudyo, since si Kristo ay hudyo. Similar sa mga Moslems na ang mga traditions ay galing din sa hudyo. So yung mga monothiests ay bale nag branch galing sa Judaism.

        Amen to your additional info!

  10. Latin Trivia (Part 1)

    Don’t you know that the Philippines has the most Latin-Speaking Political Families in the world?

    There are more than a hundred of them and here are some:

    Aquinos- Amen ang Tarlac

    Marcoses – Enriles – Amen ang Ilocos Norte

    Enriles – Amen ang Cagayan

    Binays – Amen ang Makati

    Macapagal-Arroyos – Amen ang Pampanga

    Cayetanos – Amen ang Taguig

    Estradas – Amen ang San Juan at Manila

    Revillas – Amen ang Cavite

    Rectos – Amen ang Lipa

    Villars – Amen ang Las Pinas

    Lapids – Amen ang Pampanga

    Abads – Amen ang Batanes

    Alcalas – Amen ang Quezon

    Angaras – Amen ang Aurora

    Villafuertes – Amen ang Camarines Sur

    Garcias – Amen ang Cebu

    Osmenas – Amen ang Cebu

    Jalosjos – Amen ang Zamboanga

    Pacquiaos – Rectos – Amen ang Sarangani

    Singsons – Amen ang Ilocos Sur

    Dutertes – Amen ang Davao City

    ——————
    ——————
    ——————
    Fill in the blanks na lang, putsa corruptum infinitum
    –

    Parekoy
    07/26/2014
    Posting after making the sign of the cross
    In nomine Patris, et Filii, et Spiritus Sancti. Amen

  11. Latin is for the Lawyers/priests and bad writing ( ineligible)(myth) is for doctors. What is the big difference between a lawyer and a doctor? Lawyers( MOST) become politicians, doctors do not. Both certifies birth and death.

    Does speaking in Latin make one look like an elite? I believed so. At a time of speed communication, texting, tweeting and e-mails, who needs to know and learn about Latin?

    Fuc ut gaudeam.. you make my day !! ;))))

      • talking of illigible writings of a doctor. let me share a story. (tunay ang characters nito). a doctor i know, owns a pharmacy in the province. he works in a government hospital located just across his pharmacy. his medicines, though, are very expensive compared to his competitor which is just 2 buildings away from his. He noticed that when a patient receives a medical prescription from him, the patient goes to the other pharmacy, not his dahil namamahalan.ang mamimili sa botica niya. (he is able to trace the patient because as soon as the patient leaves his office, he immediately calls his salesgirl whether his patient so and so has been to his pharmacy to buy the prescribed medicine from her, and she would tell him, no.). he got so disappointed and began to deivice a plan to make his patient go to his botica instead of the karibal na botica. Whenever he writes a prescription , he would write something like 2 worm-like script on the prescription which doesn’t really mean a thing because they were just meaningless scroll so that the other pharmacy wouldn’t be able to read it and therefore the patient would have no choice than to go to the doctor’s pharmacy because the salesgirl there could be able to “read” her boss’ ” difficult to read, prescription”. The truth of the matter is, the salesgirl can’t read it either. she gets instruction from the doctor thru telephone what kind of medicine she should give to the patient. clever, doctor. at least, unlike the senatorngs, he did not steal money from PDAF and DAP.

        • sorry about this, but I dont think the doctor from the province is being clever. but, we are only joking here, right?

          because in real life, doctors abbreviate writings which make it harder for the uninitiated to understand. writing ac on RX slip (medication slip) to mean ante cebum, take before meals; pc, post cebum, take after meals; q2h, take every 2hr; tid, take 3times a day, inter alia. there are medications labeled ‘stat’ meaning ‘give immediately’, or lives might be put in danger.

          people working behind the counter of pharmacies are trained to understand and decipher doctors’ prescriptions, squiggles included. if squiggles are too hard to understand, pharmacy workers are not supposed to give back RX slips to customers, but inform the head pharmacist of the botica right away. pharmacists know all there is to know as regards medications and know at a glance what doctors are up to whether lying, cheating or up to something. we may not see it, but pharmacists and doctors do work in tandem and talk to each other quite often. pharmacists have been known to call or phone doctors to heel, and ask questions. erring doctors can be reported to the medical board where their practices might be questioned.

        • it’s a real story, my brother is a doctor working in that hospital but he does not own the pharmacy. ka-trabaho lang sa ospital na iyon. but don’t let me reveal where and i don’t know the doctor either.

        • in my first statement i mentioned i know the doctor. that means, i might, i just couldn’t recall kasi matagal na itong na-ikwento sa akin ng brother ko.

        • Here is the story on FB of those English speaking lawyers chilled by the words of a senior citizen.
          [email protected] Latin Panem walang picunan! ;))

          Lawyers should never ask a Georgia grandma a question if they aren’t prepared for the answer.

          In a trial, a Southern small-town prosecuting attorney called his first witness, a grandmotherly, elderly woman to the stand. He approached her and asked, ‘Mrs. Jones, do you know me?’ She responded, ‘Why, yes, I do know you, Mr. Williams. I’ve known you since you were a boy, and frankly, you’ve been a big disappointment to me. You lie, you cheat on your wife, and you manipulate people and talk about them behind their backs. You think you’re a big shot when you haven’t the brains to realize you’ll never amount to anything more than a two-bit paper pusher. Yes, I know you.’

          The lawyer was stunned. Not knowing what else to do, he pointed across the room and asked, ‘Mrs. Jones, do you know the defense attorney?’

          She again replied, ‘Why yes, I do. I’ve known Mr. Bradley since he was a
          youngster, too. He’s lazy, bigoted, and he has a drinking problem. He can’t build a normal relationship with anyone, and his law practice is one of the worst in the entire state. Not to mention he cheated on his wife with three different women. One of them was your wife. Yes, I know him.’

          The defense attorney nearly died.

          The judge asked both counselors to approach the bench and, in a very quiet voice, said,

          ‘If either of you idiots asks her if she knows me, I’ll send you both to the electric chair.

    • netty, pakidagdag lang po. doctors can bury their mistakes and no one would know, architects can hide their mistakes by planting vines. lawyers? they’re too slippery. I avoid them when I can.

  12. Latin is like a possum, you only think it’s dead.

    Gusto ko ito:

    Curia advisari vult – Yun pari na kalaban ko nasa vault

    Res ipsa loquitur – Natulog katapos maloko

    Ex curia – hubad na pari

    Dura lex, sed lex – Salita na maraming dura

    Jokes –

    The Latin professor’s class was conjugating verbs and it got to be Julius’s turn. He had not been paying close attention. He turned to the student beside him and asked, “What’s the verb?”
    She replied, “Damn if I know.”

    So our hero sat up and conjugated:

    Damifino, damifinas, damifinat.
    Damifinamus, damifinatis, damifinant.

    Lorem Ipsum Alan!

  13. The funniest latin I have heard recently is the response of Dean Sta Maria to Bong Revilla’s Senate speech.
    Bong was trying to sound erudite by using ” Falsus in uno, falsus in omnibus” (False in one, false in all) in reference to the whistleblower’s testimonies.

    Response of Dean Sta Maria:

    “In falsus ano kanyo?”

    LOL

  14. I do not understand Latin but I am sure those translations are meant to elicit laughter and ridicule! I believe also that lawyers are fond of using Latin in order to impress the idiots who hire their services!

    • el bobo, lawyers dont only use latin to impress idiots, but also to lengthen consulation time. they charge fee by the minutes. the longer you stay talking to them, the more you get charged and the more you have to pay. and if you tell jokes, lawyers laugh at your jokes, but then charge you for making them laugh.

  15. I really cannot understand up to now why lawyers are fond of using Latin maxim by writing it first and followed by the translation in English. I think the use of Latin words by lawyers, judges and justices is totally unnecessary.

    But I can forgive Alan for using Latin like “Nullus Maximus” in this article because use of Latin words is his topic.

    • Expedit Latinisque vendere propter iustitiam . . . it pays to sell Latin books for justice’s sake!

      the seller became a justice!