According to ChiswickW4.com, my local community news website, local councils have banned the use of common Latin words and phrases such as “QED”, “ad hoc”, “bona fide”, “ad lib” and “quid pro quo.”
Actually, I agree with the idea in principle. Why use complicated words when simple ones will do.
“As shown,” “as required,” “good faith,” “on the fly” and “price” could be easier to understand than unfamiliar Latin words.
In practice, though, loan words are common in every language. As I learn Dutch, I find it has many. For example, “ik heb mijn computer geupgradet.” And even language-proud France has a few. In the words of Rowan Atkinson:
They all wear berets and they’re all called Jacques,
They even steal from us the words they lack
Le weekend, Le Camping and cul de sac
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{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
g8! no1 needs latin ne way
i h8 it itz a cwot*
b4 itz 2 confusing
w/o latin ne1 can understand english
n we can talk lyk diz
kwim**?
*complete waste of time
** know what I mean?
Generally, I would agree with this. But I’ve found recently that non-native English speakers actually find it easier when you use words with latinate roots. Just a note that when you do use phrases like ‘on the fly’, you need to be mindful of your audience’s level of understanding.
Surely some of the examples given here would be classed as full english by now, with their loan-word origin a mere footnote in history?
Bottom line should be: are the words well known, do they aid clear precise communication? If a council operates in a community where the answer is “no” then I guess comms policy needs to reflect this somewhat.
But to hear that “ad hoc”, a well-understood native, international, business and technical english phrase, is to be dropped rather worries me. I wonder about the effectiveness of a council that is lowering its standards and expectations, and also about the calibre of the councilors and their fitness for the job.