Sunday, October 18, 2009

Foreign or ancient phrases to do with books and reading

From Araltas, an heraldry store.

Corrigenda - A list of things to be corrected. (in a book)
Cui dono lepidum novum libellum? - To whom do I give my new elegant little book? (Catullus)
Fronti nulla fides - No reliance can be placed on appearance. (don't judge a book by its cover)
Helluo librorum - A glutton for books. (bookworm)
Ibidem (Ib.) - In the same place. (in a book)
In libris libertas - In books (there is) freedom
Index librorum prohibitorum - Official list of forbidden books not to be read by Catholics
Nullus est liber tam malus ut non aliqua parte prosit - There is no book so bad that it is not profitable on some part. (Pliny the Younger)
Optimis parentibus - To my excellent parents.A common dedication in a book
Optimus magister, bonus liber - The best teacher is a good book
Vita sine libris mors est - Life without books is death
Graeca sunt, non leguntur - It is Greek, you don't read that
Labra lege - Read my lips
Laudant illa, sed ista legunt - Some (writing) is praised, but other is read. (Martialis)
Lectio brevior lectio potior - The shortest reading is the more probable reading
Lector benevole - Kind reader
Lege atque lacrima - Read 'em and weep
Lege et lacrima - Read it and weep
Lege, sapere aude - Read, dare to be wise
Legite et discite - Read and learn
Ore lego, corde credo - I read with my face (i.e. eyes), I believe with my heart
Qui scribit bis legit - He who writes reads twice
Si hoc legere scis nimium eruditionis habes - If you can read this, you're overeducated
Varia lecto (v.l.) - Variant reading
Difficile est saturam non scribere - It is hard not to write satire. (Juvenalis)
Insanabile cacoethes scribendi - An incurable passion to write. (Juvenal)
Lex non scripta - The unwritten (common) law
Lex scripta - The written law
Post scriptum (P.S) - After what has been written
Scribere est agere - To write is to act
Semper letteris mandate - Always get it in writing!
Verba volant, (littera) scripta manet - Words fly away, the written (letter) remains
Literati - Men of letters
Ní fiú scéal gan údar. - There's no worth to a story without an author. (Irish Proverb)
Fabula sed vera - A story, but a true one
Historia est vitae magistra - The history is the tutor of life

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