I was getting ready to share my copy of Glitter and Glue with my friend Andrea. (She loves creative non-fiction. Check out her site.) Since I’m very fond of Glitter and Glue, I wanted to stick a bookplate in it to mark it as part of the Julia Tomiak library. As I pasted the “Ex Libris” sticker in the paperback, I wondered what “ex libris” means. A Word Nerd ought to know.
To learn more interesting words, join in the Wondrous Words Wednesday meme, hosted by Kathy at Bermuda Onion.
Ex libris \eks-lē-brǝs\ noun. Literal translation from Latin: “from the books.” According to Webster’s, ex libris is a bookplate.
I should have known; ex = “out of”
Do you use bookplates? Here are some links to some cool looking bookplates on Amazon. I need to order more!
Don’t forget to visit Kathy’s site to learn more interesting words.
Word Nerd Workout
Share another Latin phrase that we’ve absorbed into English, like “pro bono”. (Which literally means “for the public good”)
Thanks for getting nerdy with me today!
Julia
Dear Julia,
“Pro Bono” merely means “for good.”. The full latin/legal phrase is “pro bono publicus” or “for the good of the public” or “for public good.”. Sadly, the phrase has been abbreviated to ” pro bono.”
Dear Thomas- thank you for the clarification. Good point! Thanks for stopping by. 🙂
Dear Julia,
It was a pleasure to discover your site. Thank you for your kind response. Now, if I only could convince people to stop splitting infinitives, including newspapers, which do it all the time when they split auxiliary verbs from verbs (yes, those are infinitives, too; e.g., “should always go” needs to be “always should go”). As with the English language, an exception exists, e.g., the word “not” often is inserted. In substance, it is about keeping together the moving verb concept into one package. The French do it through conjugation, so all of the woulds, shoulds, coulds, etc., are incorporated into one verb word. Can we understand it if the infinitive is split – yes – but I capbly can read thrugh most mis-pelled words in a sentenc, jst as well. Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year!
Not surprisingly, I share your distaste for split infinitives and strive to keep verbs together in my writing. It’s just more efficient! Happy New Year to you!
Okay so, I took Latin in HS for four years. So, I am checking my sources, but I am pretty sure this statement is correct: it should be “E Libris,” not “Ex Libris.” I say this because “E” and “Ex” are both prepositions meaning “Out of,” “From,” and even “Of” in some cases. However the difference should come down to whether or not it is used before a consonant, or a vowel. (Hence, “E Pluribus.”) Since “Libris” begins with “L,” which is not a vowel, and was not a vowel back in the Roman Era, it should be “E Libris.”
Wow! Thank you for this interesting tidbit. I’m a Word Nerd in English, but you are a bilingual Word Nerd. Impressive! Sadly, if your thinking is correct, there are a lot of book plates, stamps, and stickers out there that need editing! Thanks for stopping by!
Hello Julia,
Firstly, I thank you, but you give me too much credit — I am not bilingual in Latin; I am only mildly educated in it. Secondly, I still have some doubts about the use of “E” vs “Ex.” This is because “Ex Libris” is not a sentence — and could not qualify as one, being only a fragment — it is a title. And, therefore, because it is a title, you may be able to apply some artistic licensing. In my opinion, while “E Libris” may be literarily correct, “Ex Libris” does sound and look a bit better. So please don’t worry too much about it.
Ha! Fair enough. Thanks again for the input.
I knew this one — solely from bookplates, which is the only place I ever see it used.
Thanks! I’m always rusty on my Latin.
I knew this once, but I’d forgotten. Glad to be reintroduced!
It’s sad on my part that I don’t know these nice latin words. Unfortunately, it wasn’t part of my education even though the words are part of life. I too should have known ex libris, but didn’t.
I never had any Latin education either, Margot, but I did take Spanish, and sometimes that helps.
When I was teaching I had a form that students could use to design a book plate if they bought me a book or a book for the school library in my name. I don’t buy personal books, and if I did they’d be too personally valuable to lend out. My friends are not trustworthy with books.
I know… it’s hard to share. 😉
Knew this from my Latin years.
As many times as I’ve seen that phrase, I’ve never looked it up. I’m glad to know it’s meaning! Is ad hoc Latin?
Thanks for the info, as always~ cool bookplates! As for Latin phrases, how about carpe diem or mea culpa 🙂
Excellent examples, Jess! Are you familiar with the movie Dead Poets Society? That film is all about carpe diem (“seize the day” for those of you who don’t know).
I LOVE that movie (though it’s very sad in parts)!