Love the Language..... (Latin for All Occasions - Henry Beard)

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Product:	Latin for All Occasions - Henry Beard
Date:	07/02/01 (395 review reads)
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Henricus Barbatus

Lets start with a quick intro. about Henry Beard. He spent eight years studying Latin (beats my five on and off years - I get confused with my indicative active and passive!!!). He has written numerous books in English (makes a change!), mainly essential guides, when sailing or just for life in general. I'm reliably informed that he decided to make the most of his knowledge on the Latin language by writing two books of useful Latin phrases. In this opinion I will be concentrating on Henry Beard's work on the Latin Language - 'Latin for All Occasions.'

He has written two books on Latin for every occasion, both of which I have thoroughly enjoyed reading. They are titled 'Latin for All Occasions', and 'Latin for Even More Occasions.' (How imaginative!!!) In this opinion I will be concentrating on the first of the two books. The second is much the same except it contains even more phrases (no repeats), all of which are very useful.

Latin for All Occasions
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This is a handy, easy-to-use, volume of hundreds of every day English expression rendered grammatically accurate, idiomatically correct classical Latin. What a sentence (took me 2 hours to get perfect!!!), what is great is that if you're Latin is a little bit rusty there is a pronunciation guide within. All the phrases in this book and indeed all his books are conveniently organised into familiar conversational categories. The idea is that you can become confident enough to be able to put some of these Latin 'bona dicta' (bon mots) into your conversation, just to spice it up. And just remember that Latin is not a dead language, ask anybody who has studied Latin, been and altar boy or gone to a public school.

This first book is split into XII sections, I will write down the categories and a few phrases from each, just to give you an idea of what to expect if you make the good decision o
f buying these books.

I. Conversational Latin

- Run into much traffic on the way over? (turbane magna vehiculorm obviam arat tibi venienti huc?)
- Read my lips. (Labra lege.)

II. Informational Latin

- Beware of the dog. (Cave canem.)
- Thank you for not smoking. (Tibi gratias agimus quod nihil fumas)

III. Occupational Latin

- Let's look at the bottom line. (Summam scrutemur.)
- Is that your best offer? (Num ista condicio optima est?)

IV. Recreational Latin

- I hate Astroturf. (Gramem artificiosum odi.)
- Can I drive? (Licetne mihi gubernare?)

V. Practical Latin

- I don't have any spare change. (Est mihi nullus nummus superfluus.)
- If Caesar were alive, you?d be chained to an oar. ( Caesar is viveret, ad remum dareis.)

VI. Tactical Latin

- I didn't expect you home so soon! ( Non sperabam te donum tam cito revenire!)
- Of course I know what day it is! I just can't remember the English word for it. (Scilet scio quid sit hodiernus dies! Modo ei non possum meminisse verbum Anglicum.)

VII. Cultural Latin

- Round up the usual suspects. (Conlige suspectos semper habitos.)
- This is a remake of a French film. (Haec imago movens ex pristana Gallicana recreata est.)

VIII. Social Latin

- Is that a grey hair? (Illaecine canites?)
- Put on a little weight, haven't you? (Nonne aliquantulum pinguescis?)

IX. Sensual Latin

- Your place or mine? (Apudne te vel me?)
- I'm not sure we're right for each other. (nescio num alius idoneus alii sit.)

X. Gastronomical Latin

- I'll have a bucket of fried chicken. (Da mihi sis hamam pulli tosti.)
- The waiter drew a smiley face on my check. (Ancilla in computatione faciem subridentem pinxit.)

XI. Familial Latin

- I hate brocalli. (odi brassicam.)
- Honey, I'm home.
(Mellita, domi adsum)

XII. Formal Latin

- I hear she's pregnant. (intellego eam praegnantem.)
- Let's switch place cards. (Chartas loci mutemus.)


So there it is some of the definitive work of Henry Beard, a genius at the Latin Language. I suggest you read his books if you have a love for the language and want some fun phrases. If your Latin needs polishing up a little have a look, if not have a look anyway.

Please feel free to leave any comments on this opinion or indeed any of the Latin I have used here, and of course Henry Beard. I would be especially interested in any comments written here from people who have studied Latin. But don't expect me to be up to your standard (that's why I bought these books)!!!

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