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Miles Kingston’s
LATIN TOURIST PHRASE BOOK


Quid pro quo                                                     The sterling exchange rate
Post hoc propter hoc                                         A little more white wine wouldn’t hurt us
Ad hoc                                                             Wine not included
Adsum                                                             Small extras on the bill
Exempli gratia                                                  Token tip
Infra dig                                                           Terrible accommodation
Primus inter pares                                           The stove has fallen in the fire
Compos mentis                                               Mint sauce
Carpe diem                                                      Fish frying tonight
Non anglii, sed angeli                                       Fishing absolutely prohibited
Curriculum                                                      Indian restaurant
Casus belli                                                     Gastro-enteritis
Sic transit gloria mundi                                   The nausea will pass away, and you’ll be fine by Monday
O tempora! O mores!                                      The Times is no more, alas!
Quis custodiet custodes ipsos?                       Doyou keep the Guardian?
Post meridiem                                                The maildoes not arrive until midday
Fiat lux                                                           Car wash
Rara avis                                                       No car hire available
Volenti non fit injuria                                       The accident was caused by a badly fitted steering-wheel
Reductio ad absurdum                                     Road narrows
Nil obstat                                                        River Nile impassable
Nil desperandum                                             River Nile overflowing
De minimis non curat lex                                 Lex garages cannot undertake to service small cars
Terminus ad quem                                          Bus station for Quem (small Romanian town)
Caeteris paribus                                             Restaurant facilities are available on the Paris coach
Post mortem                                                  Mail strike
Expostfacto                                                   Not known at this address
Sub rosa                                                        A rather unattractive Italian girl
Sal volatile                                                     A rather attractive Italian girl
Gloria in excelsis                                           A very attractive Italian girl
Noli me tangere                                             I do not wish to dance with you
Ars longa, vita brevis                                      Unsuitable bathing costume (literally: big bottom, small briefs)
Hic jacet                                                        Old-fashioned coat
Ecce homo                                                   Gay bar
Timeo Danaos et Dona Ferentes                    That nice couple we met in Portugal
Mens sana                                                    Male massage parlour
Ex libris                                                         Dirty books
Excathedra                                                    Ruined church
Inter alia                                                         An Italian airline
Summa cum laude                                          Peak holiday period
In loco parentis                                               Railway family compartment
Quondam                                                       Part of Holland reclaimed from the sea
Dum spiro                                                      Stupid Greek person
Festina lente                                                  Shops shut on Continent (literally: Lenten holiday)
Aut Caesar aut nihil                                        An Italian football result
Tertium quid                                                   33p

Source: Punch, 27th June 1979.