Did you know that...

[Sibling Zono (anon1mat0)]

I believe someone did that with terminal patients and found that it is worse than placebo (apparently when the patient was informed that people was praying for him (s)he assumed the worst).

[Pachyderm]

Donald Duck's middle name is Fauntleroy.

[Swatopluk]

Donald Duck's middle name is Fauntleroy.

Yes, I did know that. He signs with his full name when joining the army in WW2.

[Sibling DavidH]

Did you know that Crepitus was the Roman god of flatulence?  (Allegedly.)

[Swatopluk]

Did you know that explosion was originally the opposite of applause in Roman theatres?

[Aggie]

Explosion or expulsion?

The raspberry is still a way of expressing displeasure, although not a particularly popular one.

[Swatopluk]

explodere = to hiss (somebody) out
expulsare = to drive somebody out by beating him

[Roland Deschain]

I didn't know that about the Latin origins of the word. One would assume that the word "expel" or "expulsion" have similar origins.

[Swatopluk]

expel come from expellere, which is essentially the same as expulsare (just more complicated inflexion)

[Roland Deschain]

I was unfortunate enough not to have taken either Latin or Ancient Greek at school, much to my disappointment, so have not the benefit of a classical education in that respect. I wish i'd taken them both, and from an early age.

[Swatopluk]

I think both but especially Latin are good examples of a connection between character of the language and that of the people that spoke it.
Although I do not regret my 9 years of Latin at school, I see it as a tongue grown from a culture I have little sympathy for. It's easy to be a Nazi in Latin, leftist thought is far more complicated to express in it. On the other hand it is difficult to get primitive in classical Greek. The language forces a certain degree of complexity on the speaker. It's easy to see why the Greeks invented philosophy in the Western sense. Latin is far more 'practical'. Latin: Gimme your stuff! You don't, I kill! Greek: Let me, dear fellow, explain to you why you should part with your valued possessions in the favour of my person. I see great disadvantages in your near future, should my rhetorical persuasion fail to make a favorable impression on you.

[Sibling DavidH]

It's easy to be a Nazi in Latin, leftist thought is far more complicated to express in it.

Yes, there's a lot to be said for Latin.

Also, it's easier to borrow large quantities of money in Greek, less easy to pay it back.

[Roland Deschain]

Also, it's easier to borrow large quantities of money in Greek, less easy to pay it back.

Ba-dum-tish!

I didn't know that about Latin and Greek. It sure explains an awful lot about the two cultures in their prime. I wonder what would have happened if the Romans hadn't achieved dominance? How very different the world would have been. One can dream. (Look upon that as a "So that's what would have happened if i'd invented the Finglonger" scenario).

[Swatopluk]

I do not say that the Greeks were by and large more pleasant. But they usually quarrelled among each other and only united (short-term) against external enemies. One might also say that the Greeks were of the opinion that the world was not worth Greek rule or even attention while the Romans thought that everything of worth natiurally belonged to them (cf. 'our oil under their sand' for a modern equivalent).
Romans were ruthlessly efficient in part because they eschewed complexity, the Greeks were so oversophisticated to become rather inefficient.

The one thing the Spartans* had that made them likable was that they essentially had equality of men and women. Athens on the other hand had some Taliban tendencies in that field.

*otherwise a fascist wet dream

[Sibling DavidH]

The one thing the Spartans* had that made them likable was that they essentially had equality of men and women. Athens on the other hand had some Taliban tendencies in that field.

Aristotle (Ars Poetica) on suitable characters for a tragedy:

"In respect of Character there are four things to be aimed at. First, and most important, it must be good. Now any speech or action that manifests moral purpose of any kind will be expressive of character: the character will be good if the purpose is good. This rule is relative to each class. Even a woman may be good, and also a slave; though the woman may be said to be an inferior being, and the slave quite worthless. The second thing to aim at is propriety. There is a type of manly valor; but valor in a woman, or unscrupulous cleverness is inappropriate."