Non Fui. Fui. Etiam Sum!

Salvete!

I apologize for the lack of updates as of late.  It’s nearing exam week and that means projects and papers are due and thus, I have been rather busy.

Today, I will and must keep this short.  I will soon continue with our study of latin phrases on modern currency.   Until then, I want to introduce etymology and the study of words.  Etymology as many of you may know is the ’study of the roots of words’ which comes from greek, ‘etymologia’. (Online Etymology Dictionary)  To begin this topic I would like ot point you in the direction of a podcast called, The Word Nerds.  It’s done by a couple of old teachers of mine, along with some guest speakers from time to time, and they update about once a week.  Its alot of fun, only takes about half an hour, you can put it on your ipod or save it for later, and is really interesting and informative.  So, I urge you all to check it out.  You can follow the link below or just search it on google.

Valete!

The Word Nerds

Salvete Omnes!

Today, I’d like to draw attention to this blog’s title.

~Non Fui. Fui. Etiam Sum!~

It is based of epitaphs found on tombstones in Rome.  However, they read, “Non Fui, Fui.  Non Sum, Non Curo.” This translates as, “I was not, I was.  I am not, I care not.”  The words refer to the beliefs of life and death and the apathetic view to the world beyond.  This is a very aetheist view of the world that by no means was shared by all of the Roman people.

This blog’s title is a play on that epitaph and translates as, “I was not, I was, (and) I (Latin) still am!”

Rather unfortunately, the Latin Language has been labeled as dead and buried…

*Now, I should clarify.  Technically speaking, a dead language is one that no longer has native speakers.  However, this is problematic because there are such things as extinct languages.  Extinct languages have no speakers at all.  Now, these two adjectives work when refering living organisms such as humans.  A single Human can be dead, however it cannot not be extinct.  Now, if all Humans died out then yes, Humanity would be extinct, but this is a rather depressing thought.  However, when a language dies, all of it dies, not just a part of it.  Therefore, if we must insist upon personifying languages, then rather let us define them in terms of employment, unemployment, and death.  A language such as Latin then because it is still so widely used, but is not an official language and not used in the traditional manner of a language, should be considered unemployed.  It is still active, just not as much as it could.  And then languages such as English and German and so forth are employed, and others like coptic, dead.*

…However, it is still very much alive and widely used.  So, I say for latin, “Hear the bell, and ‘Cura‘ (care!)!

Latin is Not Dead!

To begin our quest of proving the vitality of the Latin Language, let us look at Latin in US currency.  Below is a powerpoint I compiled for a friend.  Surprisingly enough its rather short.  But ALAS!, let this not be a deterent.  This is only one very minute piece of the world that Latin encompasses.

Click Below:

Latin & U.S. Currency

Post Scriptum

I will be posting all future links on a new page according to their topic.