Testing Times for Muslims and Americans

Khaleej Times ^ | 8 November 2009 | Dr Muqtedar Khan

[PIF]

Wikipedia has bad Latin amonst other bad references.

[Jabba the Nutt]

This is an obvious play on the phrase Cato the Elder used in the Senate during the Punic Wars: Carthago delenda est. Carthage must be destroyed.

So, our friend ought to say Islam delenda est.

[PIF]

Play on words is not the point. Latin grammar and correctly paraphrasing Cato's quote is.

Cato’s influence thus preserved the Latin language. One last interesting piece of information is his epigram (p. 115, Lives of the Noble Romans, Plutarch): “Porcius, who snarls at all in every place, With his gray eyes, and with his fiery face, Even after death will scarce admitted be Into the infernal realms by Hecate.” Et memento—delenda est carthago And remember—Carthage must be destroyed. http://www.francesfarmersrevenge.com/stuff/archive/oldnews3/cato.htm

If you say "carthago delenda est" - you are saying, in essence, "Carthage must be destroyed and now on to other matters". However if you say, as Cato did, "delenda est carthago", then you are making a strong point (like an exclamation in English). Correctly translated Cato said, "And remember - Carthage must be destroyed!!" Modern Russian has the same rule (which rules were mostly derived from Latin) for emphasis.

Same rule hold true for applying delenda est to Isalm. Wikipedia is wrong.

[Jabba the Nutt]

I have zero Latin study under my belt. I’ll defer to your authority in Latin. Your argument is correct, I just thought it worked the other way around. Thanks.

[redpoll]

Let’s make a simple deal. Stop killing us and we won’t be calling you naughty names.