Latin terms and abbreviations: Difference between revisions

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* see:  
* see:  
** https://www.straightdope.com/21343427/what-does-the-filler-text-lorem-ipsum-mean
** https://www.straightdope.com/21343427/what-does-the-filler-text-lorem-ipsum-mean
=== Qui bono ===
* = "who benefits?"
** i.e., what is a possible motive?
* when analyzing an event or situation, an investigator will want to ask "qui bono" as to why something occurred
** knowing who benefits will frequently yield both motive and cause


=== Status quo ===
=== Status quo ===

Revision as of 22:37, 12 February 2023

Some useful Latin terms & their abbreviations and usage

Common Latin terms[edit | edit source]

Lorem ipsum[edit | edit source]

Qui bono[edit | edit source]

  • = "who benefits?"
    • i.e., what is a possible motive?
  • when analyzing an event or situation, an investigator will want to ask "qui bono" as to why something occurred
    • knowing who benefits will frequently yield both motive and cause

Status quo[edit | edit source]

  • means "existing state of affairs"
  • "status quo" is a non-count noun, so it does not change with plurality

Common Latin abbreviations[edit | edit source]

c.[edit | edit source]

  • circa
  • = "approximately" or "around" (as in about the same)
    • ex. "The island was populated c. 1500 bc."
    • or "The system processed circa 10,000 data points"

Cf.[edit | edit source]

  • confer / conferatur
    • meaning "compare"
  • used to "signal" to the reader that the source is supportive of the author's text
    • as opposed to a direct citation or source
  • see Citation

e.g.[edit | edit source]

  • exempli grati
  • = "for the sake of an example" or "for example"
    • ex. "Junk food, e.g., candy or ice cream, is yummie but bad for you"
    • e.g. is usually set aside by parentheses
    • ex. "Junk food (e.g., candy or ice cream) is yummie but bad for you"

etc.[edit | edit source]

  • et cetera
  • = "and others" or "and the rest"
    • ex. "At the grocery store, I bought junk food like donuts, cookies, ice cream, etc."

i.e.[edit | edit source]

  • id est
  • = "that is" or "thereby"
    • ex. "Junk food is yummie but bad for you; i.e, I shouldn't eat it."
  • usage rules:
    • i.e. is lowercase, even at the beginning of a sentence
    • i.e. is followed by a comma (i.e., ...)
    • i.e. is not a coordinating conjunction (i.e., it does not combine independent clauses; i.e., use a semicolon like this)
    • i.e. is often set aside by parentheses (i.e., like this)

sic[edit | edit source]

  • sci
    • ("sic" is not an abbreviation)
  • = "thus" or "so"
    • used to indicate that a quotation or word usage or spelling that is uncommon or non-standard is from the original text or speaker
    • generally used in brackets, viz, [sic]
    • ex. "The man with a heavy French accent said, "May I rent w rhume?"[sic]

viz[edit | edit source]

  • videlicet
  • = Latin for "it is permitted to see"
  • = "namely" or "specifically" (as in a clarification)
  • used to add details, examples or a list
    • ex. "Politicians are corrupt, viz. my representative, your representative and all of our representatives."
  • viz is generally followed by a list specifying or detailing the prior statement

vs. or v.[edit | edit source]

  • versus
  • = "against" or "opposed to, or "as opposed to"
    • used for comparison or contrast
    • ex. "My idea v. yours."


Less common Latin abbreviations[edit | edit source]

N.B.[edit | edit source]

  • nota bene
  • = "note well" or "pay attention"
  • used to emphasize a main point
    • ex. "N.B.: "the abbreviation for "nota bene" is the only Latin abbreviation in this list that should be capitalized"

sc[edit | edit source]

Latin abbreviations used for citations, legal documents and bibliographic or textual references[edit | edit source]

et al.[edit | edit source]

  • et alii"
  • = "and others"
    • ex. "The book written by Jones, et al. was most interesting"

ex ante[edit | edit source]

  • ex = from
  • ante = before
    • used to show that an analysis of a future event or prediction is based upon prior evidence

ex post[edit | edit source]

  • ex = from
  • post = after
    • used to analyze past probabilities based on actual events

idib. & id.[edit | edit source]

  • ibidem= "in the same place" or "same as above"
  • "id" = "the same person"
  • used in bibliographies
    • ex.
1. Jones, et al. p. 238
2. Ibid, 249
  • note: "loc. cit." and "op.cit." are less commonly used for "ibid" and "id."

inf. & sup.[edit | edit source]

  • "infra" = "below"
  • "supra" = "above"
  • used to refer to information previously or subsequently
    • as in "see below" or "see above"

passim[edit | edit source]

  • passim (not abbreviated)
  • = "here and there" or "throughout"
    • used to indicate that information or a reference will be used frequently

q.v.[edit | edit source]

  • quod vide
  • = "which see" or "for more on this topic"
    • tells the reader that additional information is found elsewhere or later in the text

s.n.[edit | edit source]

  • sine anno
    • = "without a date", for unknown publication date

s.l.[edit | edit source]

  • sine loco
  • = "without a place", as in origin unknown
  • usually used to reference an unknown place of publication

s.n.[edit | edit source]

  • sine nomine
    • = "without a name", for the publisher is unknown

s.v.[edit | edit source]

  • sub verbo
    • = "under the word"
  • used to cite a dictionary or encyclopia entry
    • archaic and not commonly used any more

Sources[edit | edit source]