Latina est Gaudium-Et Utilis!

[MDS]

Anyone besides me consider the 'Latina est Gaudium et Utilis' sections at the end of each chapter in Wheelocks to be pretty much useLESS? <br /><br />Ex: (from Chapter 3 Pg. 23)<br /><br />Salevete, amicae et amici! Quid agitis hodie? Well if you are in the Coast Guard, you are semper paratus (always prepared), or if you're a U.S. Marine, its semper fidelis (always faithful), from the same Latin root as "fido" your trusty hound. These are just two (suggested in the chapters vocab) of countless Latin mottoes representing a wide range of modern institutions and organizations. Valete et habete fortunam bonum!<br /><br />Now I know they are trying to show the various ways in which Latin has been/is incorporated into the world today but geez.....<br /><br />As always feel free to disagree

[klewlis]

They may not be particularly useful but they are usually somewhat amusing. I get a kick out of them ;)<br /><br />Occasionally they include things that make me go, "oh, I didn't think of that!" and in those cases they are helpful!

[Alundis]

amicae et amici...does Latin of any period use this phrase instead of amici?

[benissimus]

They're not meant to be useful. They were added in later editions to lighten up the heavy mood of all the grammar and exercises, and they do that all right. They are incredibly lame a lot of the time... :-\

[mariek]

<br />The content is somewhat interesting, but the presentation style doesn't do much for me.<br /><br />

[phil]

[quote author=Alundis link=board=3;threadid=698;start=0#6695 date=1064381005]<br />amicae et amici...does Latin of any period use this phrase instead of amici?<br />[/quote] only Latin written since the dawn of political correctness!

[Emma_85]

Urgh... 'political correctness' *shudder*, but I suppose this would be a topic for the Academy.<br /><br />I quite liked all the useless bits in my Latin book, such as the little pictures next to difficult words in the vocabulary list to help you remember them... They did help me actually.

[benissimus]

I say "amici amicaeque" just to make people groan sometimes.

[Episcopus]

I'll second the "amici amicaeque" although for some reason -que isn't correctly added, to short vowels.<br /><br />And personally I would say "Quid Facitis" but that's because I love my favourite verb and latin word "FACERE"! like FAIRE in french. <br /><br />