Latin in English
Kron


Latin
•The Ancient Romans were great borrowers; they are more distinguished for their military exploits
and legal traditions than their cultural values or artistic accomplishments.
•The Roman Empire was acquired by dint of superior fighting force and rigorous military discipline,
but was maintained by Roman law.
•Thus, we should not be surprised that so many latin legal terms have been carried over into
English.
•While the Empire stretched as far north as Scotland, as an occupying force the Romans did not
integrate with the native population to make a notable impression on the Language during the
centuries-long Roman presence in ancient Britain, even though the remains of their civil
engineering feats – roads, forts, aqueducts, baths, and walls – still survive in England today.

•The latin influence on the English language comes primarily through the Romance languages,
particularly French and to a lesser degree Italian, as well as through the borrowings associated
with the renewed interest in classical sources during the Renaissance.
•Not all of the following terms are strictly legal, but they suggest the precision and
particularity of the Latin mind and will also help you to clarify your speech and writing.