5 Latin phrases people think they understand
Latin is considered a dead language but some expressions survived extinction. Here are 5 Latin phrases and their true meanings.
#1 Persona non grata or “non-pleasing person”
It is an expression used to single out someone who is unwelcome in social circles due to their ideology or behavior.
#2 Cogito Ergo Sum is a famous Latin phrase that translates to "I think, therefore I am".
It is a famous proclamation by René Descartes, a French philosopher who declared that the only thing that we can know for sure is that we think. All of material reality could be a deception of our senses, however our thoughts are proof of our existence.
#3 Memento mori or “remember that you shall die” is a universal appeal for people to remember their own mortality.
This can be interpreted as an incentive to live life to the fullest or to acknowledge one’s own limited existence and embrace humbleness.
#4 Ad Hoc is a popular phrase in English and it usually denotes something that happened spontaneously and without proper planning.
However, the actual Latin word for word translation is “for this situation”.
#5 Compos Mentis is the Latin phrase for “of sound mind.”
Although used by many to refer to someone's intelligence or culture, the original meaning refers to a person’s sanity not their smarts.
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