Wednesday, March 18, 2020

Roman Terms Covering Politics, Law, War, and Lifestyle

Roman Terms Covering Politics, Law, War, and Lifestyle The Ancient Roman Republic lasted from 509 BCE to 27 BCE, and was followed by the Ancient Roman Empire which existed from 27 BCE to 669 CE. While already boasting a lengthy rule, the Romans influence continued to shape all aspects of society for centuries after. Roman civilization made its mark on Elizabethan literature by inspiring Shakespeares seminal play, Julius Caesar. The iconic Colosseum in Rome is a staple case study in architecture studies and influenced many similar structures, especially sports stadiums. The Roman Republic, and even the Roman Empire with its Senate legislature, is often referred to as the building blocks of modern democracy. And its ruling over diverse lands and its trade with Asia via the Silk Road inevitably established cross-cultural exchanges that continue to today. These terms cover a variety of topics, ranging from names of battles to significant architecture, from geographical features to an explanation of cultural rituals. Hopefully, this extensive list will be intriguing for any history buff or Ancient Rome enthusiast.   Battles   and Warfare Rome was imperialism personified, and the Romans kept blow by blow records of many of the important battles that sealed that definition. Many Roman battles and battle plans are still cited as ideals by recent military tacticians and teachers in military academies. ActiumBattle of CarrhaeBattle of Milvian BridgeBattle of PharsalusCatapultCohort  Gergovia BattleMacedonian WarsMorbihan Gulf BattleRubiconSeleucidsSocial WarVercingetorix Politics and Law Politics played a vital role in Roman society. The passion plays in the Senate and the struggles for power among generals, kings, and emperors provide us a great deal of historical precedent for our society today. Comitia CenturiataConstitutio Antoniniana (Edict of Caracalla)ConsulCuriaCurule AedileCursus HonorumEdict of CaracallaForumInterregnumOptimatesPax RomanaPlebiscitumPlebeiansPraetorsSenatorsTarpeian RockTetrarchyTribuneTriumvirate Architecture   Rome built some of the finest civic architecture, both as public displays but also as functional works, aqueducts and other structures still standing today.   AqueductsCloaca Maxima  ColosseumForumInsulaRegionariesTemplum Lifestyle   What do you know of these terms related to social mores and traditions, music, and foods of Roman society? A.D.  and B.C.AgonaliaBacchanalia  ConfarreatioCornucopiaFabula TogataFescenine VerseGarum (Roman Fish Sauce)HedonismJulian CalendarLudiLudi ApollinaresLudi FloralesPater Familias  PraetextataPrandiumSalutatioTogaTria Nomina Geography At its height, the Roman Empire stretched over much of Europe; do you know these points of geographic interest?   ​7 Hills of RomeAlba LongaAntonine WallAppian WayBoiiGallia /GaulHadrians WallHispaniaMt. VesuviusPraefecturesVesuvius Religion   Roman religion changed over the centuries, and it includes Roman gods and goddesses, but also the influence of religion, and religious specialists.   Abundantia  Fides  FlamenJulian the ApostateMaiaMonkNicene CreedPersecutionsPervigiliumPontifex MaximusPriapusRegiaRex Sacrificulus  Sibyl People Do you know who these important persons were to the history of the Roman Empire?   7 Kings of RomeAugustusCaligula  ClaudiusConstantineCurtius (Lacus Curtius)Historia AugustaJulius CaesarJustinianNero  Pontius PilateScaevolaScipionic Circle

Sunday, March 1, 2020

The Problem with Grammar Check

The Problem with Grammar Check The Problem with Grammar Check The Problem with Grammar Check By Mark Nichol A couple of years ago, a visitor to this site posted a comment asking for help. In a Word document, this person had written the sentence â€Å"The nouns and verbs are the main content words in this poem and without emphasis on them, this poem has little to no meaning.† Word’s grammar check admonished the writer to insert a semicolon in place of the comma following them. What? Errant nonsense, and puzzling advice, at that. One respondent erroneously agreed with Bill Gates, while two people associated with this site validated the original writer’s reluctance to follow Word’s word. But they didn’t explain why the grammar check had recommended this faulty course of action. I didn’t understand it, either, but then I looked a little closer. As another poster remarked, a human editor trumps a computer-generated one. Computers may be able to defeat humans at chess, but I doubt they’ll ever beat people at editing. Why? They can compute, but they can’t think. Here’s where Word went wrong: It assumed that the phrase â€Å"in this poem and without emphasis on them† was a compound phrase with the same structure as â€Å"on this page and on the next,† for example, and that this sentence could end with this phrase. If that were true, â€Å"this poem has little to no meaning† would be an independent clause that could stand on its own. But because the computer misread the context, it did not admonish the writer to correct a real error: A comma should follow the first instance of poem. The correct form of the sentence is â€Å"The nouns and verbs are the main content words in this poem, and without emphasis on them, this poem has little to no meaning.† (I also agree with the poster who pointed out that the phrase at the end of the sentence is more idiomatically correct rendered as â€Å"little or no meaning.†) In this sentence â€Å"this poem has little to no meaning† is not an independent clause, but it is part of one: â€Å"without emphasis on them, this poem has little to no meaning† could stand as a separate sentence, so it should be preceded by a comma and the conjunction and.† The moral of the story? Word’s grammar check, like its spell-check function, can be helpful, but it can also misinterpret your intent as a writer. As the sage says, â€Å"Trust, but verify.† Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Grammar category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Comparative Forms of Adjectives"Certified" and "Certificated"Ulterior and Alterior