This week we'll present phrases taken verbatim from Latin.

mutatis mutandis – (when comparing two or more cases) making necessary alterations while not affecting the main point; with respective differences taken into consideration
[Latin, 'things being changed that have to be changed'. Akin to mutate]

The memo set off alarm bells in the State Department and among the Joint Chiefs of Staff. And for good reason. Legal counsel there realized a memo justifying the torture of others could be used just as readily, mutatis mutandis, to justify the torture of American prisoners.
– Washington Times, Jan. 11, 2005

mea culpa – an acknowledgement that one is at fault
[Latin, 'by my fault']

[His] response to all this has been a model of blame-shifting, obfuscation and patently insincere mea culpas, apparently justified by his view that [he] has more important things to do than administer his own organization.
– Wall Street Journal, Dec. 14, 2006 (today)

ceteris paribus – other things being equal; if all other relevant factors remain unaltered

China-India … the world's two fastest growing economies that, ceteris paribus, are expected to become the world's second and third largest economies by 2020.
– Asia Times Online, Dec. 6, 2003

caveat emptor – the principle that the buyer is responsible for checking the quality and suitability of goods before purchase
[Latin, 'let the buyer beware']

Caveat emptor: with any cool new technology, there's always a thing or two to keep in mind before you buy. Flat-panel monitors are no exception.
– AV Video Multimedia Producer, Mar. 1, 2004

Important to note that in the US, judicial innovation and expansion of tort liability have transformed that phrase into today's version: "caveat vendor."

There's a lovely mosaic that was discovered in Pompei, which may still be seen in situ, of a dog straining at the leash with the words CAVE CANEM (beware the dog) below it.

caveat vendor

That should be caveat venditor for let the seller beware.

[Fixed formatting problem.]

This message has been edited. Last edited by: zmježd,

These are from a favorite little book, "Latin for all Occasions."
For the convenience store:
Ursuli Gummi = Gummy Bears
Manducabulla = bubble gum
fabae suaves = jelly beans
Lateres Martiales = Mars Bars
Crusta Lunares = Moon Pies
Scintillae = Twinkies
Sacci Laeti = Glad Bags

sine qua non – an indispensible condition
[Latin, meaning 'without which, not'. This is feminine; sometimes you'll see masc. sine quo non; proper plural is sine quibus non.]

An effective Nato [sic] is the sine qua non of democratic multilateralism.
– Financial Times, Dec. 14, 2006

vox populi – the opinions or beliefs of the majority
[Latin, ‘the people’s voice’]

And no matter what the vox populi says, PF Chang's has no business being in a book called "America's Top Restaurants."
– Arizona Republic, Dec. 7, 2005

de gustibus – a matter of personal taste
[Not in dictionaries, but occasionally used as a word. From Latin de gustibus non est disputandum 'There's no disputing about taste,' or 'There's no accounting for taste.']

Some admirable people simply don't "get" P.G. Wodehouse. I concede this as incontrovertible fact, just one of those de gustibus things, yet somehow can't quite fathom the lapse in good judgment.
– Washington Post, Mar. 30, 2003

quote:

de gustibus non est disputandum

That was the phrase I used in my sig for several years. I still do use it in a couple of forums. Nowadays people say things like "YMMV" ("Your mileage may vary").