Pretend to have an expensive education with Latin! Quiz

Answer: For the sake of example

Not, as someone recently tried to convince me, a simple contraction of the English word 'example'. Where's the g in example? I asked. Duh! Right there...hey, wait...

Answer: i.e.

The complete Latin phrase is "id est". It is generally used to clarify or more specifically define the preceding statement, in the sense of "which means" or "in other words".

A helpful hint to remember this one: if someone asks you to clarify what you'd hoped was a brilliant statement, what do you reply? "I...eh..."

Answer: versus

It has become commonplace in my part of the world for young people to use "verse" as a verb, as in "I versed him in arm wrestling". I assume this is under the mistaken belief that "vs." is the plural of "verse", which must mean "to compete against".

Your author is officially now an old person, having written interesting info about young people and their odd ways of speaking.

Answer: Grumpy et al.

"Smith et al." translates to "Smith and others". There should be a full stop after the 'al' since it's actually an abbreviation of the word "alia".

Different referencing styles require "et al." to be used where there are particular numbers of authors. For example, APA style specifies that it should be used where the cited work has more than 6 authors. I think this requires far too much typing and spell-checking. Luckily the required style at my university supported my penchant for laziness.

Answer: You're my pride and joy et cetera

From the song "Elenore". That line cracks me up. Has anyone ever fallen for a love letter that includes the phrase "et cetera"?

How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.
I love thee to the depth and breadth etc.

I don't know...something about it doesn't quite work. If any readers *have* been wooed with an abbreviation, drop me a line and I'll add you to the interesting info.

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Well, gentle reader, I stand corrected! Player stixondrums has brought to my attention the e e cummings poem "my sweet old etcetera': http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/my-sweet-old-etcetera/

I got goose pimples reading it. That really is something else.

Answer: In glass bottles

"In vitro" means "inside the glass". I don't recommend trying to buy beer in vitro, as the shopkeeper might decide you've already had enough to drink and refuse to serve you.

Answer: Monty Python's Life of Brian

In an act of insurrection, Brian scrawls graffiti on the wall of the Roman governor's palace: "Romanes eunt domus", which he believes is Latin for "Romans go home". A centurion catches him in the act and forces him to write the correct phrase (Romani ite domum) 100 times.

The trick is to laugh heartily throughout this scene as if it reminds you of the draconian Latin master from your expensive schooldays.

Answer: Classical works I like include, inter alia, "The Oresteia" and "Antigone".

"Inter alia" roughly translates to "among other things". Try dropping it into everyday sentences yourself. It's lots of fun and people might think you know what you're talking about.

Answer: per annum

Of course, technically I could refer to the per diem (daily) rate. It's uncommon for salary earners to express their pay as a daily figure, because it requires too much maths to turn it into the equivalent fortnightly or yearly sum (it also sounds like a lot less!)

Answer: post meridiem

Most of the way through primary school I thought it was short for "post morning". I never wondered why half the phrase would be Latin and the other half English, nor what "a.m." could be short for. I have since recanted my lack of curiosity.

For the record, "a.m." comes from "ante meridiem".