Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Tameri Guide for Writers' Latin Phrases

This is is taken from:
http://www.tameri.com/write/coollatin.html
It is not mine, but I'm sharing their knowledge for its value. =)

Latin Phrases

It’s a matter of taste and style, but not long ago American writers attempted to demonstrate their credentials to the world by including Latin and French phrases within works. A dash of Latin was expected of the moderately educated throughout the Western world.
annus mirabilis - wonderful year
arbiter elegantiae - judge of the elegant; one who knows the good things in life
bona fides - good faith; credentials
carpe diem - sieze the day; enjoy the present
casus belli - cause justifying a war
caveat emptor - buyer beware
cui bono? - for whose advantage?
de facto - of fact; it is
de gustibus non est disputandum - no disputing tastes; there is no accounting for taste
Dei gratia - by the grace of God
Deo gratias - thanks to God
Deo volente - God willing
dis aliter visum - it seemed otherwise to the gods
Dominus vobiscum - Lord be with you
dulce et decorum est pro patria mori - sweet and seemly it is to die for one’s country
ecce homo - behold man
ex cathedra - with authority
ex more - with or according to customs
exempli gratia - for example (e.g.)
genius loci - spirit of the location
hic et ubique - here and everywhere
hinc illae lacrimae - hence, those tears
humanum est errare - to err is human; human is to err
id est - that is (i.e.)
in extremis - at death
in hoc signo vinces - by this sign, you conquer
in loco parentis - in place of the parent
in medias res - into the middle of things; the heart of the matter
in omnia paratus - prepared for all; ready for anything
in perpetuum - forever; perpetually
in propia persona - in person; in one’s own life or words
in statu quo - as things were
in toto - entirely; in total
ipso jure - the law itself
jure divino - Divine law
labor omnia vincit - labor conquers all things; effort results in victory
laborare est orare - to work is to pray
laus Deo - praise God
loco citato - in the location cited
loquitur - he speaks
mens sana in corpore sano - of sound mind in a healthy body
meum et tuum - mine and yours
modus operandi - mode of operating
morituri te salutamus - we who are about to die, salute you
motu proprio - of one’s own accord; on your own
multum in parvo - there is much in little
nemo me impune lacessit - no one attacks me with impunity
nil admirari - wondering at nothing
nolens volens - willing or not
Nota Bene - note well; pay special attention to
omnia vincit amor - love conquers all
opere citato - in the volume cited; in the book cited
otium cum dignitate - leisure with dignity
passim - here and there
pater patriae - father of his country
pax vobiscum - peace be with you
persona non grata - unwelcome person
primus inter pares - first among equals
pro bono publico - for the public good
pro Deo et ecclesia - for God and the Church
pro forma - as a matter of form; standard
quod erat demonstrandum - which was demonstrated; that which was shown
requiescat in pace - rest in peace
sic - thus; so it was
sic passim - so throughout
sic semper tyrannis - thus always to tyrants
sine die - some day; not a particular time
sine quo non - without which, nothing; it is essential
tempus fugit - time flies
timeo Danaos et dona ferentes - I fear the Greeks, even when they bear gifts
verbatim et literatim - word for word, letter for letter

Sunday, March 20, 2011

Elegy Update

I heard back form my professor about the pet elegy I wrote in response to his challenge that no one has ever written a good one. I, of course, did not manage to wow him off his feet, but his comments were, for once, not entirely discouraging. He referred to my ending as "Very elegiac," and even though he had suggestions for my freshly drafted poem, I felt them to be helpful, and they had more to do with clarity than an overall message of "make better." Perhaps after heeding some of his advice, I'll offer the poem here, and see what you think?

Friday, March 18, 2011

Quotes on Writing

An extraction from my collection, correlating distinctly with this blog: Quotes and advice pertaining directly to the writing world:

"A book must be the axe for the frozen sea inside us." ~Franz Kafka

"You know you have read a good book when you turn the last page and feel a little as though you have lost a friend." ~Paul Sweeney

"Writing is an exploration. You start form nothing and learn as you go." ~E.L. Doctorow

"Do not come lightly to the blank page." ~Stephen King

"Without words, without writing and without books there would be no history, there could be no concept of humanity." ~Hermann Hesse

"Creativity is making the complicated simple." ~Charles Mingus

"The two most engaging powers of an author are to make new things familiar, and familar things new." ~Sam Johnson

"I only know one story. But oftentimes small pieces end up being stories themselves." ~Patrick Rothfuss

"Talent is helpful in writing, but guts are absolutely essential." ~Jessamyn West

"All words are pegs to hang ideas on." ~Henry Ward Beecher

"Sometimes, if there's a book you really want to read, you have to write it yourself." ~ Ann Patchett

"Fantasy is hardly an escape from reality--Its a way of understanding it." ~Lloyd Alexander

"The skill of writing is to create a context in which other people can think." ~Edwin Schlossberg

"We are cups, constantly and quietly being filled. The trick is, knowing how to tip ourselves over and let the beautiful stuff out." ~Ray Bradbury

"The difference between the almost right word and the right word is really a large matter--it is the difference between the lightning bug and the lightning." ~Mark Twain

"I write because I have women living inside me who lay alone on their deathbeds." ~Natasha Nelson

"Every great and original writer, in proportion as he is great and original, must himself create the taste by which he is to be relished." ~William Wordsworth

"If you go into a room...full of books--even without taking them from the shelves they seem to speak to you" ~William Ewart Gladstone

Monday, March 14, 2011

First Publication!

Very exciting news!
Yesterday, I received an email late at night, informing me that my short story, The Difference, and my poem, Francis Lloyd Marlow, have been accepted for my school's art/literature anthology The Sandy River Review, that's published every semester. This may sound like a small-scale deal, but the last 7 semesters I have been here I have submitted, and it was not until try number eight that my work was accepted! I guess it goes to show I've come a long way. Its pretty cool to know I was accepted for publication before I got my BFA, even if the publication itself won't come out until after. ;p


Still have not heard from my professor about the pet Elegy I sent him. I wrote one for a person later, (My father's mother) to meet the parameters of the assignment, and in looking at them both, I think the second one is better, so at least I have something I like to turn in today for workshop, but I am anxious to know if I continued his theory, or disproved it.

Happy Trails, Internet!

Wednesday, March 9, 2011

So Far, So Good!

I've learned my way around Blogspot fairly well since I made my first post. I'm hoping this will be cozy place to hang out for a while.
Writing news:
~~Poetry professor assigned today that we write an elegy 
Elegy: A poem which subtly notes the absence of someone who has passed away in a manner than invokes sorrow without spoon feeding an individual's anguish.
We were told we are permitted to write about someone we know personally, or a historical figure or celebrity, but that we are not permitted to write about a pet. My professor claimed that, in essence, there is no such thing as a good elegy about a pet. There were several students--including me--who challenged that generalization, and he invited us to turn in two if we really wanted to attempt the "feat." I sent him a draft this evening, and am awaiting commentary.
~~Wes McNair, a very valued poet in Maine who once directed the poetry program at UMF, is coming to campus next week to discuss craft and form with six selected students; this list, to my chair-descending astoundment, included me. I've met him before, and heard him read, but I am very excited to work with him in workshop form. ^_^
~~Finally, the artist statement I have to complete for my BFA senior portfolio is very close to being done. I mailed it out to some dear friends for some last tweaks (or what may turn out to be huge tweaks, as editing goes) and whatnot, but once I have it, perhaps I'll display it here. It is coming to resonate with me even more than I expected.

So where are you, all future friends? Here's hoping I meet you all soon. ^_^

Happy Trails,
~Ellen