How Roman Speech Created Terms That We Use Today Especially in the Legal Profession

Do you know how Roman speech created terms that we use today especially in the legal professions? You will find in this article how parts of Roman speech became legal terms.

Latin was spoken in and around ancient Rome. As the Roman Empire grew and spread, so did Latin. Over time, Latin evolved into separate languages in the various regions.  These Romance languages are considered sisters and Latin is thought to be the mother tongue. Latin was an Italic language, and the only surviving languages today are it and the Romance languages, which include: French, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish, Romanian, and Catalan.

Roman speech is Latin, and even though today it is considered a dead language, because no one’s native tongue is Latin, it is still very much alive. It is still taught in schools and is read and spoken by many. It is also living in many words in various languages that have Latin roots. Let’s look at some legal terms and see how Roman speech created terms that we use today especially in the legal professions.

Here are some legal words and phrases that have Latin origins. If there are two definitions, the second is the legal application:

• ab initio: from the beginning
• ad hoc: for this; generally refers to a solution to a specific problem
• ad infinitum: to infinity; means to continue without limit or non-terminating
• affidavit: has declared on oath; sworn statement of fact
• bona fide: in good faith; moral and mental state of honesty
• caveat emptor: let the buyer beware; used in property law doctrine
• corpus delicti (pl. corpora delicti): body of crime; legally means to prove a crime was committed 
• ex gratia: by favor; something done voluntarily
• fiduciary: something held in trust; a legal relationship of confidenceguardian ad litem: for the legal action; for a single action in litigation
• habeas corpus: that you have the body; has to do with releasing a prisoner from unlawful detention
• ipso facto: be the fact itself; something that is a direct consequence of an action
• modus operandi (pl. modi operandi): method of operating
• prima facie: at first face; something appears to be self-evident when first looking at the facts
• quid pro quo: something for something; an item or service is traded for something of value
• respondeat superior: let the master answer; legal document which says the employer is responsible for employee’s actions while working
• subpoena: under penalty; a writ that orders a person to offer testimony or evidence or face punishment

Other English Words with Latin Roots

Now that you have seen how Roman speech created terms that we use today especially in the legal professions, maybe you would like some more English derivatives. Many English words have Latin roots and following is a short list. The Latin root is first, followed by its definition, and a few English words with that root:

• Dict - to say - contradict, dictate, diction, edict, predict
• Ject - to throw    - eject, inject, interject, reject, subject
• Pel - to drive - compel, dispel, impel, repel
• Pend - to hang - append, depend, pendant, pendulum
• Scrib - to write - description, prescribe, subscribe, transcription

Then there are Latin words that are used as prefixes, like:

• Dis - not any - disbelief, discomfort, disrepair, disrespect
• Inter – among - international, interfaith, intertwine, interject
• Post – after - postdate, postwar, postnasal, postnatal
• Pre – before - preconceive, preexist, premeditate, predispose, prepay
• Sub – under - submarine, subsoil, subway, subhuman, substandar

Lastly, there are Latin suffixes like:

• Able/ible - worthy of or capable - flexible, likable, honorable
• Ation - changing verbs to nouns - creation, civilization, information
• Fy/ify - make, cause to become - purify, acidify, humidify
• Ment -     changing verbs to nouns - entertainment, amazement, statement
• Ty/ity - adjectives to nouns - cruelty, loyalty, technicality, electricity