Writing. Everyday Talk

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Writing

Knowing just what these terms and words mean can be a big help in improving your reading

comprehension.

10. Sic: Found in writing, this Latin word most commonly finds a home in brackets (like

this: [sic]) when quoting a statement or writing. It indicates that there is a spelling or

grammar error (or just something out of the ordinary) in the original quotation and

that the publication has only reproduced it faithfully, not made an error of their

own.

11. Id est: You've likely seen this term in writing before, even if you weren't aware as it

is commonly abbreviated to i. e. In Latin, it means " that is" and is used in English

when the speaker or writer wants to give an example or explanation that specifies a

statement.

12. Deus ex machina: In direct translation, this term means, " God out of a machine" and

it harkens back ancient Greek and Roman plays. When the plot would become too

tangled or confusing, the writers would simply bring in God, lowered in via a pulley

system (the machine) and he would wrap it all up. Today, it's still used in literature to

describe a plot where an artificial or improbable means of resolving a conflict is

used.

13. Exempli gratia: You'll often see this term abbreviated to e. g. in writing. It means " for

the sake of example" and when it see it in a sentence you can expect that is will be

followed by some examples.

14. Et cetera: Few out there aren't familiar with this term but may not know it as well

when it's spelled out like this and not abbreviated as etc. Meaning " and the others"

it is used to denote that a list of things could continue ad infinitum (see below for

definition) and that for the sake of brevity it's better to just wrap things up with a

simple etc.

15. Ex libris: Back in the days when books were rarer and more expensive commodities

than they were today, it was common to mark your books with a label bearing your

own name and this phrase which means " from the library of. " While not as common

today, some true bibliophiles still use the labels.

16. Ibidem: Another abbreviated term, this word is more commonly seen in researchwriting in the form of " ibid. " From the Latin for " in the same place" it is found infootnotes and bibliographies to designate that the same source has been cited twicein succession.

17. Et alii: You're unlikely to encounter this Latin phrase in its unabbreviated form, andwill most likely only ever see it as et al when included. This is also a term that isfound in footnotes and bibliographies which allows writers to refer to a largenumber of authors without having to write each name out (for example, you couldsay that your source is Dr. Henry Jones et al. )

Everyday Talk

You've likely heard these words and phrases on the news or in conversations, and if you

didn't know what they meant then, these definitions will help make it clear now.

18. Ad infinitum: You might be able to guess what this phrase means simply through its

similarity to the word we use in English. It means " to infinity" and can be used to

describe something that goes on, seemingly or actually endlessly, as some students

might feel about certain classes.

19. De facto: In Latin, de facto means " from the fact" and in use in English it is often

used to distinguish was is supposed to be the case from what is actually the reality.

For example, legally, employers are not allowed to discriminate in hiring because of

age, but many still practice de facto (in reality, in fact) discrimination.

20. In toto: No, this phrase doesn't mean that the cute little dog from The Wizard of Oz

ate something, it means in all or entirely. Think of it as saying " in total" in a really

weird voice.

21. Ipso facto: Meaning " by the fact itself" this commonly used and misused term is

denotes when something is true by its very nature. For example, if you don't feed

your dog you are ipso facto a bad owner.

22. Tabula rasa: When you were a child, your mind might have been more of a tabula

rasa than it is today. This Latin phrase means " clean slate" and denotes something or

someone not affected by experiences and impressions.

23. Terra firma: Those who hate to fly or get seriously seasick will be able to put this

term to good use. It means firm ground, and you might be thanking your lucky stars

to be back on it after a trip through the air or rough waters.

24. Mea culpa: If you want to admit your own guilt or wrongdoing in a situation, use this

Latin phrase that translates literally to " my fault. " It's a bit like a fancier, less

outdated way of saying " my bad. "

25. Persona non grata: From the Latin meaning an " unacceptable person" this term

designates someone who's no longer welcome in a social or business situation.

26. In situ: If something happens in situ it happens in place or on site, though the term

often designates something that exists in an original or natural state. Like a rare

species sighted in situ or an invaluable artifact found on an archeological site.

27. In vitro: Most students will be familiar with this term because of modern fertility

treatments, but have you ever considered what the term actually means? In Latin, in

vitro means " in glass" and any biological process that occurs in the laboratory rather

than in the body or a natural setting can be called in vitro.

28. In vivo: While an experiment taking place in a glass test tube might not cause a stir,

many are up in arms about this kind of experimentation. In vivo means " within the

living" and the two most common examples of this kind of experimentation are

animal testing and clinical trials.

29. Ante bellum: During your history courses, you're bound to encounter this term. It

means in the most basic sense " before the war" and while it can be applied to any

war it is most commonly used to refer to the American Civil War and the Antebellum

Era the preceded it.

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