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May 15, 2003

More Dog Latin

While trying to confirm the correct spelling for the Latin abbreviation RIP, I found this article from the BBC. It includes the announcement from Lord Chief Justice Woolf who claimed that removing Latin from the legal environment was "pro bono publico".

Other gems include a comment about "En Loco Parentis" (me father's a train driver) and someone else who pointed out "Any attempt to get rid of status quo is fine by me". Someone else mixing Latin with French commented: "Even though this move might seem a bit avant garde, most people weren't au fait with legal Latin anyway. It's typical of the laissez faire attitude which is so de rigeur. Oh well, c'est la vie." and finally there was a limerick (without translation):

A nervous young lawyer named Rex,

Was sadly deficient in sex.

When arraigned for exposure,

He said with composure:

"De minimis non curat lex."

Any Latin scholars care to provide a clean translation of that last line?

Posted by Peskie at May 15, 2003 12:00 PM