PMAQ Part I Flashcards
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.”
Give the Latin and English for the motto of the state of Maine.
Dirigō
Literal translation: I direct
More common meaning: I point the way
Fun Fact: When a Latin verb ends in -ō, the pronoun “I” is understood as the subject. This means that D**irigō is translated, not simply “direct”, but rather “I direct”. You may have heard the phrase “As goes Maine, so does the nation.” That expression comes from the fact that in presidential elections, the votes of a small number of voters in one community in Maine are always counted quickly, and, in the days before computer projections, these votes were used to predict the outcome of the whole election. The state motto is a reflection of this tradition.
Give the Greek and English for the motto of the state of California.
Eureka (Εὕρηκᾰ)
Literal translation: I have discovered (it)
More common meaning: I have found it
Fun Fact: California’s motto is the Greek word Eureka, which means “I have discovered (it).” What was discovered in California in 1848?
Give the Latin and English for the motto of the state of New York.
Excelsior
Literal translation: Higher
More common meaning: Ever Upward
Fun Fact: Have you ever sung a Christmas carol with the refrain, Gloria in excelsis Deo? Those Latin words mean “Glory to God in the highest.” Here, Excelsior is another form of excelsis. It is called a comparative because you use it when you compare two things. Notice that in Latin comparatives end in -ior while in English they end in -er.
Give the Latin and English for the motto of the United States of America.
Ē Plūribus Ūnum
Literal translation: out of more one
More common meaning: Out of Many, One
Fun Fact: To Romans long ago this phrase was a description of stew or soup, one dish made from lots of different ingredients. To Americans today this motto is a reminder that our nation is made up of people from many different backgrounds and cultures. Another way to look at the phrase is to remember that we have one federal government made up of many states. You will see these Latin words on the Great Seal of the United States. They are also on the dollar bill, the penny, and the quarter.
Give the literal translation and the more common meaning for the Latin quotation “Carpe Diem”.
Literal translation: Seize the Day
More common meaning: enjoy today
In an English sentence: The teacher in the movie Dead Poets Society urged his students to make the most of the moment. “Carpe diem!” he cried.
Fun Fact: The Roman poet Horace used this phrase in a poem in which he warned against putting off too many things to the future. Horace knew that it is important to enjoy the present and to make good use of each day.
Who is credited with the quotation “Carpe Diem”?
Horace
Give the Latin and English for the motto of Yale University.
Lūx et veritās
Literal translation: Light and truth
Fun Fact: Lūx, which means “light,” is often part of mottoes of schools and colleges because it symbolizes the power of education to lighten the darkness of ignorance. The Latin word l**ūx has other forms in which the x changes to a c. This helps us understand a word like “translucent,” which means “allowing light to enter.” Veritās or “truth” is another favorite theme of school mottoes. You may know the English word “veracious,” which means “truthful.”
Give the Latin and English for the motto of Yale University.
Lūx et veritās
Literal translation: Light and truth
Fun Fact: Lūx, which means “light,” is often part of mottoes of schools and colleges because it symbolizes the power of education to lighten the darkness of ignorance. The Latin word l**ūx has other forms in which the x changes to a c. This helps us understand a word like “translucent,” which means “allowing light to enter.” Veritās or “truth” is another favorite theme of school mottoes. You may know the English word “veracious,” which means “truthful.”
Give the English for the Latin quotation “Festīnā Lentē”.
Literal translation: Make Haste Slowly
In an English sentence: An apparent contradiction like f**estīnā lentē is called a paradox.
Fun Fact: The Emperor Augustus is said to have chosen this phrase as his personal credo. It might seem impossible to hurry slowly, but the phrase makes sense if you think of the fable of the tortoise and the hare. The hare made haste but lost the race. The slower, more careful tortoise plugged along steadily and came in first.
Who is credited with the quotation “Festīnā Lentē”?
Augustus
Who is credited with the quotation “Festīnā Lentē”?
Augustus
Give the English for the Latin quotation “Festīnā Lentē”.
Literal translation: Make Haste Slowly
In an English sentence: An apparent contradiction like f**estīnā lentē is called a paradox.
Fun Fact: The Emperor Augustus is said to have chosen this phrase as his personal credo. It might seem impossible to hurry slowly, but the phrase makes sense if you think of the fable of the tortoise and the hare. The hare made haste but lost the race. The slower, more careful tortoise plugged along steadily and came in first.
