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MONTPELIER – A Vermont student’s proposal for a state motto in Latin drew a burst of Internet fire from people who apparently confused the Romans’ language with Latin America, but the teenager is taking it in stride.
Sen. Joe Benning, a Caledonia County Republican, filed a bill on behalf of St. Johnsbury Academy ninth-grader Angela Kubicke, who proposed that Vermont add to its English-language motto, “Freedom & Unity,” one in Latin: “Stella quarta decima fulgeat.”
That means “The 14th Star Shines Bright,” honoring Vermont’s history as the 14th state to join the Union following the original 13 colonies.
A brief history for the unhinged (and ignorant) nativists:
First, some twenty-four states have a motto in Latin. South Carolina has two official mottos, both of which are in Latin. This stems from Latin's long legacy as the scholarly language of education in western civilization.
Second, Latin was the language of ancient Rome - not the language of any Latin American country, or the native language of modern Latinos.
Third, Washington's motto is in Chinook. Minnesota's is French. California's is Greek. Montana's is Spanish (no surprise, given the Spanish origins of the state's name). Can anyone guess which is the language of the state motto of Hawai'i?
Fourth, anyone want to venture a guess at the language of the motto of the United States Marine Corps, Semper Fidelis?
The level of ignorance of some people can be scary, at times. I knew what Latin was long before I was old enough to learn it.
Or... they just didn't listen or read thoroughly and misunderstood "Latin"? People just don't seem to focus on anything anymore...
Either way, it's sad. As you said, most states have a motto in a language other than English, and it's OK. It's just a motto!
All these people who are so offended by a Latin motto will certainly flip out when they find that there's evil latin on their paper money. I will be more than happy to take it off their hands for them. I'm nice like that.
Sigh. Proof that xenophobia is alive and well in good ole' 'Murica!
Not only do I not find this surprising, I have come to expect stories like this.
We live in the opening sentence of A Tale of Two Cities: It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way – in short, the period was so far like the present period, that some of its noisiest authorities insisted on its being received, for good or for evil, in the superlative degree of comparison only.
All these people who are so offended by a Latin motto will certainly flip out when they find that there's evil latin on their paper money. I will be more than happy to take it off their hands for them. I'm nice like that.
Sigh. Proof that xenophobia is alive and well in good ole' 'Murica!
Minted coins as well. 'E Pluribus Unum' ring a bell?
Tell me again that our education system is doing it's job.
It's sad that Latin is not offered in many schools anymore. When my mom was in high school in the '60s it was required. She encouraged me to take it in the '80s because it helped her with English - vocabulary and grammar. Now my own children couldn't take it if they wanted to because their school does not offer it. There are a couple of schools in our district that offer it, but not everywhere as it was when I was young.
I can't speak Latin, but that class helped me greatly on understanding root words. It can be a real help with the SAT. Someone on another thread mentioned taking a class on Latin and Greek Roots. I'd be happy if their school offered that, so it would free them up to take Spanish or some other useful foreign language.
Apparently, Vermonters aren't as smart as they like to think they are.
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