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A Degree in English. "Latin is a beautiful language and a relief from the incessant novelty and informality of the modern age. But when it's used on diplomas, the effect is to obfuscate, not edify; its function is to overawe, not delight. The goal of education is the creation and transmission of knowledge — not the creation and transmission of prestige. Why, then, celebrate that education with a document that prizes grandiosity over communication?"
I can't disagree.
I was one of the last who had to take two years of Latin in my school. It has served me well. However, having both my high-school and college diplomas in Latin caused me problems at the Division of Motor Vehicles. Yes, at the DMV.
When identity verification became key, I was forced to bring various proofs of identity before I was permitted to renew my driver's license. There was a point system established, and you had to achieve a certain point total. It wasn't easy. One of the listed options (one point) was an original high-school or college diploma. I had both.
When I arrived, however, they were rejected because they were both in Latin. They were not impressed with my ability to provide them a translation. Fortunately I was able to scramble in my wallet for a library card, insurance card, or something else.
What the author really needs, however, is a Latin spell-checker. I think he made a typo in the Latin in the article as well.
Once, the hardened leader of the local SWAT team asked me for a Latin version of his team's credo, “The strength of the wolf is in the pack, the strength of the pack is in the wolf.†I told him: “Robur gregi in lupo, robur lupo in grege.â€
I believe it should be †… robur lupi … .†And the two phrases are transposed in the translation.
Such is the cost of a misspent youth.
I dunno - seems to me the main purpose of the diploma is to impress people, so why not make it as impressive as possible?
(Some employers may wish to see evidence that a job seeker actually has the purported degree - I'd argue that a paper diploma is not the best evidence. If you are capable of lying about a degree, you may well be capable of forging a diploma.)
Since much of institutionalized education is aimed at getting a credential—as opposed to simply learning—then obfuscation seems appropriate. Why Latin? Tradition. Humans like some traditions with irrational fervor. For example, when most English-speaking people see New Testament passages, they expect them to be written in archaic English. King "Jimmy" James did western civilization a great favor by commissioning a very nice English translation of the Bible from... Latin. Hm. I seem to be thinking in circles. How about this: Let's print diplomas in Old English and bibles in Latin. No one would understand either and nothing would change. Only those truly interested in learning would bother to figure things out. 
Ironic. “Jimmy's†work, the KJV (King James Version), was intended to make the Bible more accessible. Still some embrace it in opposition to its very intent. In a similar way people misunderstand the revolutionary use of “thy†in The Lord's Prayer, for example. They reject modern translations for their lack of formal address of God with the forms of “thou†and “thy.†Of course, a beautiful aspect of the prayer is the intimacy reflected by the use of the informal forms, thy, thou, thee, thine.
Martha Barnette
Grant Barrett
Grant Barrett
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