History Main / SmartPeopleKnowLatin

* {{Obstructuve Bureaucrat}} Sir Humphrey Appleby of "YesMinister" is often fond of lording his Oxbridge education over his boss with Latin. @1:08 [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yeF_o1Ss1NQ here]]

* Brutally parodied in ''LovesLaborsLost'', when a group of foolish "pedants" get together and argue over usage of Latin grammar. [[GeniusBonus None of them are right]].

--> If love have touched you, nought remains but so,
--> ''Redime te captum quam queas minimo.'' [[hottip:*: "Redeem yourself from captivity as cheaply as possible", a quotation from Terence.]]

Based on {{Truth In Television}}, as back during the Renaissance when classical Greek and Roman texts were rediscovered by Europeans, the ability to read the original sources was considered a good idea. Even earlier, most literate Europeans were members of the clergy, and therefore had Latin as a common language regardless of where they were living. Given the above, Latin became the default language of scholarship, and works on science and other learned subjects were often written in Latin as a sort of Lingua Franca. This is one of the reason science's language of choice for terminologies (especially in taxonomy) is Latin (with some Greek thrown in). The trend only started to fade during the 19th century, when English is beginning to take dominance.

* Gil Grissom has done this a time or two on {{CSI}}-his insect names are most common

* ''{{Asterix}}'', which takes place around 50 BC when Latin was a living language, always show the Romans speaking the same language as the Gauls. Except that whenever a group of Roman legionnaires are speaking, then one of them will likely qouting something in Latin. Often to the fustration of the other legionnaires since it usually happen in a situation too serious for that - for example while running from the invincible Gauls.

** At my school, the big choice wasn't between Latin or no Latin, it was between four or six years of Latin. Even so, we were frequently told we got off lightly, as we didn't have to do Ancient Greek. This is Austria we're talking about, and though my school was hardly unique - or in any way posh, just an ordinary state school - some students still make it to university without having taken Latin, which is compulsory for a good number of degrees, including Law and Medicine. The poor sods have two semesters to catch up or get thrown off their course.

* DorothyLSayers' LordPeterWimsey and Harriet Vane. They trade all sorts of learned quotations, but Latin is part of the deal. The last time he proposes marriage to her (in ''Gaudy Night''), he does so in Latin while wearing his cap and gown (he took a First at Bailiol). She accepts in the same language: "Placet." [[hottip:Lat.:"It pleases."]] One of his frequent terms of endearment for her is "domina" (a feminine form of "dominus" "master") meaning "lady" or "mistress".

Supposedly, this shows that the character is of high intelligence or at least education, because Smart People Know Latin. Perhaps a reason for this is that since nobody speaks Latin, its remaining uses include a large proportion of "scholarly" applications, such as etymology, deciphering ancient texts, and mere quotation. While other languages have uses in these fields, their primary use - as a living language - crowds out other uses, so they are not considered as "scholarly."

Based on {{Truth In Television}}, as back during the Renaissance when classical Greek and Roman texts were rediscovered by Europeans, the ability to read the original sources was considered a good idea. Even earlier, most literate Europeans were members of the clergy, and therefore had Latin as a common language regardless of where they were living. Given the above, Latin became the default language of scholarship, and works on science and other learned subjects were often written in Latin as a sort of Lingua Franca. This is one of the reason science's language of choice for terminologies (especially in taxonomy) is Latin (with some Greek thrown in). The trend only started to fade during the 19th century.

Further, knowledge of Latin (and to a lesser extent, Greek) was a sign of a proper education as supplied by the British Public School system. In other words, only the wealthy could afford an education that included instruction in Latin, thus the modern connotation of class and education. Not to mention how many higher-end schools and universities have {{Pretentious Latin Motto}}es

education in Latin in the present day has been linked to better language skills and test scores, and it is rare for poor students to take Latin unless it's a requirement.

* The non-english nomenclauture of anatomy, the "Terminologia Anatomica" is in latin (and is taught at medical universities in non-english speaking countries). It can be found [[http://www.unifr.ch/ifaa/Public/EntryPage/HomePublic.html here.]] Medicine itself is filled with Latin terminologies, and generally, the language of medicine in non-english speaking countries is still latin.

Supposedly, this shows that the character is of high intelligence or at least education, because Smart People Know Latin. Perhaps a reason for this is that since nobody speaks Latin, its remaning uses include a large proportion of "scholarly" applications, such as etymology, deciphering ancient texts, and mere quotation. While other languages have uses in these fields, their primary use - as a living language - crowds out other uses, so they are not considered as "scholarly."

Back during the Renaissance when classical Greek and Roman texts were rediscovered by Europeans, the ability to read the original sources was considered a good idea. Even earlier, most literate Europeans were members of the clergy, and therefore had Latin as a common language regardless of where they were living. Given the above, Latin became the default language of scholarship, and works on science and other learned subjects were often written in Latin as a sort of Lingua Franca. The trend only started to fade during the 19th century.

Largely {{Truth In Television}}, as education in Latin in the present day has been linked to better language skills and test scores, and it is rare for poor students to take Latin unless it's a requirement.

* The non-english nomenclauture of anatomy, the "Terminologia Anatomica" is in latin (and is taught at medical universities in non-english speaking countries). It can be found [[http://www.unifr.ch/ifaa/Public/EntryPage/HomePublic.html here.]] Generally, the language of medicine in non-english speaking countries is still latin.

-->'''Giles''', ''BuffyTheVampireSlayer

->''"Whatever happened to Latin? At least when'' that ''made no sense, the church approved."

* ''{{Cupid}}'' (1998 version): A love-lorn professor and Trevor Hale (who believes he is [[MaybeMagicMaybeMundane and/or may actually be]] Cupid) are discussing picking up women in a bar.

* The daughter, who is supposed to be the smartest character, in ''TheHauntedMansion'' takes a course on Latin.

* {{Obstructuve Bureaucrat}} Sir Humphrey Appleby of [[Yes, Minister]] is often fond of lording his Oxbridge education over his boss with Latin. @1:08 [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yeF_o1Ss1NQ here]]

** Arcade Gannon

* ''TheSimpsons'':