Product Description

Latin forms an integral part of our daily lives and its use is foundational to the major branches of knowledge, from law and medicine to literature and commerce. To deal adequately with its ubiquitous presence, it is necessary to have access to helpful reference tools. This guide has been devised to remedy the challenges faced by the modern reader whose educational experience is not firmly grounded in the so-called Classical tradition. It is a comprehensive compendium of nearly 6000 words, phrases and standard abbreviations taken from the world of art, music, law, philosophy, theology, medicine and the theatre.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #589918 in Books
• Published on: 1996-06-25
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 220 pages

Review
"It will be useful to the common reader and lawyers, philosophers, medical doctors, etc. whose knowledge of Latin is no longer what it used to be!."
-"The Journal of Indo- European Studies
"If you're a student trying to improve your vocabulary, this is a great book. If you're a law student trying to figure out what phrases meant before they meant what they mean, this is a great book. For those who have forgotten the three years of parochial-school Latin, this is a really great book."
-"Publisher's Weekly, 7/15/96
"Stone...has penned one of those rare reference works that is both highly affordable and highly useful....While many resources supply similar information...few sources also include such a range of sayings and phrases, in this case well over 5,000. In addition, the last section of Stone's work is a real boon to reference librarians....Highly recommended."
-"Library Journal
""Latin for the Illiterati will be the terminus ad quem (i.e. finishing point) for many a question about the terra incognita (i.e. unknown land) that even common Latin expressions are to many people today. [The book], of course, delves more deeply into the Latin lexicon than a polyglot source...and therein lies it value. Bene!."
-"Rettig on Reference, 10/96
"Outstanding reference source."
-"ALA/RUSA Reference Sources Committee Stone has compiled a helpful and practical reference guide aimed at those of us for whom Latin is terra incognita...[the book] is a ready reference dream come

From the Back Cover
Latin for the Illiterati is everyperson's reference to common Latin words and phrases. With over 6,000 entries--including 300 abbreviations--this volume will accompany every reader, student and scholar through their lifelong reading journey.

This solidly researched handbook was ten years in the making, evolving from a handwritten help list of frequently occurring phrases to this comprehensive reference tool. The volume contains common words, phrases and abbreviations selected from the worlds of art, music, law, philosophy, theology, medicine and the theatre as well as clever sayings and sage advice from ancient writers. In addition, there is a section on geographical place names, colors, calendar months and days and Roman numerals as well as an English index and a brief guide on Latin pronunciation.

About the Author
Jon R. Stone is a Post-Doctoral Research Fellow at the Center for the Study of Religion and Lecturer in the English Writing Program at the University of California at Santa Barbara. He is the author of A Guide to the End of the World: Popular Eschatology in America (1993).

Customer Reviews

Handy reference.
In the nineteenth century an educated person had more than a smattering of Latin and Greek, and everyone wrote with this presumption. Today most of us have not had that advantage, yet Latin, in particular, keeps popping up in all sorts of places, from decals on police cars to cigarette packages.
Now you decipher not only these, but abbreviations (e.g., i.e.), Roman numerals, common words and expressions, familiar phrases and sayings, and more, with over 5,000 entries in this handy volume. Its one glaring lack is a pronunciation guide, as spoken Latin has some stresses which are not apparent. Very useful nevertheless, and recommended.

(The numerical rating above is an ineradicable feature of the page. This reviewer does not employ numrical ratings.)

Helpful in building vocabulary
As a reference its cumbersome. Phrases from medicine, law, philosophy are abundant but dispersed and disorder. It did help my vocabulary.The english-latin section is innovative.

Horror?
As a horror story, I found it disappointing. The plot was a bit hard to follow.