Welcome back to another Latin Lingo. We hope you enjoyed our first edition, Latin Lingo #1, featured a few weeks back. If you missed it, you’ll want to be sure to watch the Why Latin video put together by our Latin Teachers included in that post. (Yes, we have multiple Latin teachers!)
Has anyone recently said to you the phrase, “My bad”? This term came into widespread popularity from the movie Clueless back in 1995. However, if you want to sound more sophisticated and more sincere, we have a Latin phrase for you today from our Upper Middle School Latin teacher Mrs. Sarah Weinschenk.
This Week’s Latin Phrase: Mea Culpa
What does it mean?
Mea Culpa means – my fault or I am to blame. This is a heartfelt and succinct way to admit that one has made a mistake.
Why should we and our students be familiar with it?
It appears not infrequently in the news with the expectation that the reader understands someone is apologizing, taking the blame for a mistake. In this time of texting and quick communication, “mea culpa” is elegant shorthand for a sincere apology. I use it frequently in messages to students, parents, and colleagues. It keeps me humble!
Not sure how to pronounce these Latin phrases? This video gives you a tutorial on Latin vowel pronunciation.
