It's totally true too. I came across a particularly good one today in a book I've been reading. The character in the book slings the remark snidely and the fact that it's in Latin gives it the sharpened edge of pretension. If you know me, you know there is nothing I love more than forked-tongued sarcasm. The phrase, in flagrante delicto, was used as a reference to sex, which after some research, seems to be a misuse of the term. Wikipedia, or hereto referred to as Omniscient, claims that the phrase means "in the blazing [progressing] offence [misdeed]." That's in English and I'm not even sure what it means, but it sure sounds hot don't it?
This research led me to other phrases, some of which I knew already and others which I think are fakes, probably posted by the same kinds of people who make up the names of typefaces. I tried to vary my resources on this one to get a better-rounded information pool. Sources cited: omniscient.com, encyclopedia.com (which, kid you not, directly cited wikipedia when I was looking up how to spell omniscient) and urbandictionary.com. These are practically air-tight definitions, which, should you require legal aid at some point, would totally hold up in court.
Q.E.D.- an acronym derived from the term quod erat demonstrandum meaning "that which was to be demonstrated." Apparently the definition has been expanded to include the conclusion of any proof and is often used in attempts at ironic humor. In lay terms, pwned.
If A=B and B=C then A=C. Q.E.D.
Quid pro quo- literally translates to "quid for quo," as in "this for that" or "tit for tat." Not to be confused with tete-a-tete which is a private conversation between two people, or more interestingly, a short sofa intended to accommodate two persons. Perhaps if you were particularly attractive or clever you could go quid pro quo via tete-a-tete.
Sidenote: This is also the title of a movie to be released some time later this year. The IMDB incredibly vague synopsis: A semi-paralyzed radio reporter is sent out to investigate a story that leads him into an odd subculture and on a journey of disturbing self-realization. Some further poking revealed the subculture referenced is elective amputation. The condition, in this case, is called apotemnophelia where people have a fetishism for losing a limb. Yeah, no joke. I watched a documentary on this cognitive behavioral mind warp called Whole. The documentary was not about the fetish particularly, just the desire to amputate. Has this post been Virginia Woolfe enough for you yet?
persona non grata- your new identity after a sour tete-a-tete experience. It's true, just cuil the Italian expulsion of the Egyptian First Secretary in 1984. Seriously, what doesn't the internets know. And does anybody else realize that I just discovered the italics option?
So anyways, these were just a couple I had rolling around in my mind, I'm sure you know others. I encourage you to post some to my comments section. Legalese is funny to everybody, not just an etymology-obsessed woman like myself. Speaking of which, my next post will focus on colorful alternative monikers for the special succubus in your life. It'll be Mary Magdalicious. Ironically you'll have to wait 'till Sunday for that one.