Welcome to the Discworld & Pratchett Wiki. Have fun, contribute and be warned articles may contain nuts and spoilers to the plots of the books.

Latatian

From Discworld & Pratchett Wiki

Jump to: navigation, search

Latatian is a (presumably) dead language, originating in Sto Lat, from which a great deal of Morporkian is derived. It is quite similar to Roundworld's Latin. Its primary uses in the Century of the Anchovy are for legal jargon from the Guild of Lawyers and to allow the College of Heralds to make excruciating puns.


Legal Phrases

  • Acquiris Quodcumquae Rapis - Another term for "Eminent Domain", or you get what you grab.
  • Pro Bono Publico: "for the public good", ie a legal service performed for free. To a lawyer, this is the equivalent of an exorcism to a demon, or the very worst possible -ing that can be spoken. (The Truth)
  • Qua Ego Sic Dico - "Because I Say So". An argument which carries a great deal of procedural and precedential weight, especially when used in legal debate by the Patrician. (Making Money)
  • Exeo Carco Cum Nihil Pretii - "( I ) get out of jail free."
  • Olfacere Violarum - "smelling of violets"
  • Sini Plenis Piscis - "pockets full of fish" - a man who is pushed into a lake and comes up with his pockets full of fish has in fact benefited from being so pushed, and therefore cannot accuse the pusher of assault. A very old precedent, apparently. (The Truth)
  • Ab Hamo - "off the hook"
  • mea culpa - my fault, a confession of guilt. Not likely to be used by a lawyer speaking in the first person...

Other Latatian phrases (excluding Guild mottoes)

  • Quis custodiet ipsos custodes? - Who watches the watchman?
  • Excretus Est Ex Altitudine - The gods do not favor him.
  • Avé! Duci novo, similis duci seneci!
  • Avé! Bossa nova! Similis bossa seneca! - both are variants on a theme of Meet the new boss! Same as the old boss! cited by Mr. Slant in Night Watch.
This article is a stub. Please expand it.
Personal tools
In other languages