Doris Day & Improving Your Latin

Today someone asked me to provide a definition of a word because I'm an English major. Do I look like a dictionary? I love how people just assume that because I'm English major they should "watch their grammar" and use me as a source for an unlimited supply of definitions . Little do they know that my grammar is possibly worse than theirs. Memo: English Language majors are the grammar Nazis, not English majors. I focus on literature and rhetoric, not grammar usage. Anyways, this person asked me for a definition of a word that his Humanities teacher used in class. I was so nervous; I hoped that it was a word I knew so I could prove my worth as an English major.

"Probitas."

That was the word.

I responded, "I think it is Latin for Honor. I don't know if your teacher is using some word that derives from the Latin, but I believe that the etymology is at least Honor."

Super impressive, right?

Do I speak Latin? Not a chance.

How do I know this impressive bit of Latin? A Doris Day movie.

Yes, a Doris Day movie.

Here is a clip from Lover Come Back, the movie where I learned Latin - go six minutes into the

clip.

I think this proves how brilliant Doris Day movies are. I mean they combine the eye candy of Rock Hudson,

outrageous hats,

beautiful 60's clothing

and they also teach you Latin so you can impress people at dinner parties.

You just got to love these two.