You’ll impress everyone with your exquisite choice of words.Ĭarpe diem and other common Latin phrases and wordsīefore diving into the really cool Latin words and phrases, we have to make a quick stop in the ‘most common Latin phrases’ station. confidently at the end of your conclusion. To show off how you logically proved something, use Q.E.D. or quod erat demonstrandum (’what was to be demonstrated’) – which, by the way, is the mic drop of Latin phrases. You know me: semper fidelis to the vanilla.Īs you probably already guessed, semper fidelis means ’always faithful’ or ‘always loyal’. Do you want the chocolate ice cream or the vanilla ice cream? Didn’t you notice how inserting some Latin words here and there automatically makes someone look smarter? Even the dullest conversation can become an erudite discussion if you use the right Latin sayings. But one thing is sure: Latin phrases are nowadays the cooler siblings of slang words. It’s unclear whether Latin made a comeback or it has been this cool for hundreds of years. Carpe diem, et cetera, cum laude, curriculum vitae and mea culpa are just a few of the Latin phrases still widely used today. Studying the ancient world helps us look at ourselves, and our own problems, afresh and with clearer eyes.Far from being a dead language, Latin is very much alive in our day-to-day conversations. “Studying classics opens up history to us – from early dramas, that 2,000 years on are still part of the theatrical repertoire, to some foundational philosophy, from democracy to empire, from powerful rulers to the enslaved. It gives you direct access to some of the most inspirational literature in the western world (from Virgil’s great epic Aeneid to the historian Tacitus’ critique of the corruption of power and the subversive counter-culture of the poet Ovid). “Latin is an extraordinarily enriching subject. The LEP will be led by a “centre of excellence”, which will work with as many as 40 schools to create resources for teachers and students from year seven to year 11.Ĭlassics professor and broadcaster Mary Beard said: “I am absolutely delighted that the DfE will be supporting Latin in schools and helping more pupils to have the challenge and fun of learning about the ancient world. This compares to 49% of independent schools. “Latin can help pupils with learning modern foreign languages, and bring broader benefits to other subjects, including maths and English.”Ĭurrently, Latin is only taught at 2.7% of state schools at a key stage three level. “There should be no difference in what pupils learn at state schools and independent schools, which is why we have a relentless focus on raising school standards and ensuring all pupils study a broad, ambitious curriculum. But the subject can bring so many benefits to young people, so I want to put an end to that divide. Another £16.4m has been committed to further the project.Įducation Secretary Gavin Williams said: “We know Latin has a reputation as an elitist subject which is only reserved for the privileged few. This scheme, launched in 2016, now involves 75 schools nationwide, and has more than 6,000 pupils heading towards fluency in the language. It will also include “visits to Romanheritage sites to give pupils a deeper understanding of classics, and life in the ancient world”.Īnnouncing the move, the Department for Education said it was following the model of the Mandarin Excellence Programme. The LEP will try to increase the number of pupils taking a GCSE in the language of the Roman Empire. Prime Minister Boris Johnson is known to be a proponent of Latin, having studied classics at Oxford. LATIN will be taught in more state schools as part of a new government scheme to end the “elitist” perception of the subject.Ĭlassicist Mary Beard has hailed the move, which will see £4m in funding for the Latin Excellency Programme (LEP) before a review in 2026.

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