Latin in Everyday Life

Your spare change is hiding secret Latin messages. Seriously, check a British

coin. See that little "FD"? It stands for "fidei defensor," or "defender

of the faith." "Fides" is a fifth declension Latin noun for faith. You use this stuff

all the time without realizing it. Ever say "a.m." or "p.m."? That's just "ante

meridiem" and "post meridiem" – "before midday" and "after midday." Even the word "manuscript"

comes from "manu scriptum," meaning "written by hand." Latin isn't some dead language; it's

literally in your pocket and in your daily schedule.