Latin Phrases in scholarly Writing

This selection of commonly used Latin phrases is excerpted from the Latin Phrase-of-the- Week Archive

Phrase: id est  (i.e.) Pronunciation: id est Translation: that is

Phrase: exempli gratia  (e.g.) Pronunciation: eks-ehm'-plee grah'-tee-ah Translation: for the sake of example

These are two phrases that are abbreviated for use in English: i.e. and e.g. The two phrases are often used
incorrectly, i.e. they are interchanged. "I.e." is used to clarify what has already been stated, and "e.g." is properly used
when giving examples of a point. There is a simple memory device to remember which is which: i.e. is "in ether
words" and e.g. is an "egsample".

Phrase: ibidem
Pronunciation: ih'-bih-dem
Translation: in the same place

This word, usually italicized and abbreviated as Ibid., is used when a reference is from the source referenced in the
immediately preceding footnote. So, if an author makes several consecutive references to a single source, he or she will
often use "Ibid., pp. xx-xx" for the second and successive references to that source.

Phrase: idem
Pronunciation: eye'-dem
Translation: the same

This one is used when making another reference to an author just cited and is used in place of the author's name. It is
abbreviated id. and is pronounce eye'-dem in English.

Phrase: et cetera
Pronunciation: et kay'-teh-rah
Translation: and the rest

The word et means "and", as in et alia, meaning "and other things". Et cetera is only properly used to refer to things,
not to people.

Phrases: et al.
Pronunciation: N/A
Translation: and others

These phrases, which are used in literature citations and legal documents, are not pronounced. Instead, their English
translations are inserted in their place when spoken.

Et al. is an abbreviation of the three phrases et alii (et ah'-lee-ee), et aliae (et ah-lee-eye), and et alia (et ah'-lee-ah),
which are the masculine ("and other men"), feminine ("and other women"), and neuter ("and other things") forms of the
phrase.

Phrase: a priori
Pronunciation: a pree-oh'-ree
Translation: from what is already known

This phrase literally means "from what comes before". Reasoning of this type is known as "deductive" and is based
initially on assumptions from prior knowledge. Thus, knowing what came before, you propose what the outcome will be.
Check back next week for the opposite, a posteriori.

Phrase: a posteriori
Pronunciation: ah paw¹-steh-ree-oh¹-ree
Translation: from effect to cause

Literally "from what comes after", this type of reasoning is known as "inductive" and is based on observed facts. Thus,
knowing the results, you propose what led up to them.

Phrase: castigat ridendo mores
Pronunciation: kah'-sti-gat ree-den'-doe moh'-rays
Translation: it corrects customs/manners by laughing at them

This phrase embodies the essence of satire -- sometimes the best way to change things is to point out their
ridiculousness (from the same word root as "ridicule", eh?) and laugh at them. This is not in common use, but the thought is nice.