Academics Lesson II—PMAQ Flashcards
Questions Influenced by Imperium by Julian Morgan, Liber Digitalis by David Jackson, and Latin Everywhere, Everyday by Elizabeth Heimbach
Give the Latin and English for the abbreviation N.B..
Notā Bene
Literal translation: Note Well
More common meaning: pay attention
In an English sentence: “The teacher called attention to due dates on the assignment sheet with the abbreviation N.B..”
Fun Fact: If you did not know that N.B. stands for “note well,” you might assume that you were supposed to write something in your notebook when you saw those letters.
Give the Latin and English for the abbreviation e.g..
exemplī gratiā
Literal translation: for the sake of an example
More common meaning: for example
In an English sentence: “Great authors, e.g. Shakespeare, are known for their ability to create memorable characters.”
Fun Fact: This is one of the most common Latin expressions found in English. It is the equivalent of the phrase “for example.”
Give the Latin and English for the abbreviation i.e..
id est
Literal translation: that is
More common meaning: in other words
In an English sentence: “The ninth graders, i.e. the freshmen, will leave first.”
Fun Fact: Id est is a very common Latin expression found in everyday English. Be careful not to confuse i.e. with e.g., which means “for example.”
Give the Latin and English for the abbreviation A.D..
Annō Dominī
Literal translation: In the Year of (the OR our) Lord
More common meaning: Common Era
In an English sentence: “Mt. Vesuvius erupted in A.D. 79.”
Fun Fact: Most historians today use the expression Common Era (CE) to refer to dates after the birth of Christ, but in older books you will find the Latin phrase annō Dominī (A.D.). Some people think that A.D. stands for After Death, but you can see that annō, which comes from the Latin word annus meaning “year,” is related to the English word “annual.” Dominus is the Latin word for “lord” or “master.”
Give the Latin and English for the abbreviation A.M..
Ante Meridiem
Literal translation: Before Noon
More common meaning: in the morning
In an English sentence: “The meeting will begin at 10 A.M.”
Fun Fact: A.M. is a familiar abbreviation. It is easy to remember that ante means “before” if you think of “antebellum.” Meridiem is the Latin word for “noon” so you would never invite someone to dinner at 6:00 A.M.!
Give the Latin and English for the abbreviation P.M..
Post Meridiem
Literal translation: After Noon
In an English sentence: “The meeting is set for 3:00 P.M. tomorrow.”
Fun Fact: Here is a familiar phrase. It is the opposite of ante meridiem (A.M.).
Give the Latin and English for the abbreviation S.P.Q.R..
Senātus Populusque Rōmānus
Literal translation: The Senate and the Roman People
In an English sentence: “Both the Roman Senate and the popular assemblies always wrote the letters S.P.Q.R. at the end of legislation that had been approved.”
Fun Fact: This famous phrase embodies the power of the Roman Republic. Notice that the word for “and” is the syllable –que attached to the end of Populus. In Rome today, you see the letters S.P.Q.R. on manhole covers, trashcans, and street lights. None of these, of course, existed in ancient times. They were installed during the 1920’s and 1930’s when the Fascist dictator Mussolini ruled Italy.
Give the English for the Latin quotation “pānem et circensēs”.
Literal translation: bread and circuses
In an English sentence: “‘No more pānem et circensēs,’ announed the teacher. ‘It is time to get to work.’”
Fun Fact: Roman politicians gave free bread and free entertainment to the poor people of Rome to keep them quiet and contented. A companion originally meant someone with whom you shared bread, and circuses are still a source of entertainment.
Who is credited with the quotation “pānem et circensēs”?
Juvenal
Give the English for the Latin quotation “Errāre hūmānum est”.
Literal translation: to err is human
More common meaning: everybody makes mistakes
In an English sentence: “The teacher comforted the tearful child who had made a mistake by saying, ‘Errāre hūmānum est.’”
Fun Fact: English words like “err” and “error” are clearly related to this Latin verb errāre.
Who is credited with the quotation “Errāre hūmānum est”?
Seneca the Younger
Give the English for the Latin phrase ab ōvō usque ad māla.
Literal translation: from egg(s) to apples
More common meaning: from beginning to end
In an English sentence: “The new software manual gives directions for website design ab ōvō usque ad māla.”
Fun Fact: This phrase makes sense if you know a little bit about ancient dining customs. Most Romans ate only a snack for breakfast and lunch. Dinner, however, was more elaborate. Hard-boiled eggs (ōva) were sometimes served as appetizers, and dessert often included fruit like apples (māla). An English phrase, “from soup to nuts,” means the same thing. The Latin word ōvum is an English word itself and gives us the words “oval” and “ovary.” You may sometimes see just the words ab ōvō instead of the whole phrase. Ab ōvō means “from the egg, from the beginning.”
