Etc.

I've been assisting with the editing of numerous research studies lately. In scientific research papers the “references” sections lists studies that the author referenced when writing his paper. Each publication has its standard format, but, some elements are common. For example, it is general policy that words in the title and author’s names be spelled correctly. It is a good idea to supply accurate information about what publication and in what issue and page range the referenced article originally appeared. The formats spell out the order of the elements presented in a reference, how they are punctuated, and how many author names should be listed. That last is important. Some research papers could have fifteen or twenty authors. Sometimes the first six authors are listed in a reference, sometimes only the first three, but, in any case, when the list of authors has been truncated, the expression et al. is added to the list.

One would assume that anyone familiar with any kind of research paper, medical or otherwise, would be familiar with the expression et al. and know what it means. After all, it appears in any list of publications and articles. Apparently, though, it is not always the case that a paper’s author knows what he is doing when he encounters it. I have seen it written as eta,  e.t.a.l.,  e tal,  et la,  and other very odd-looking variants. Of course, Latin is not taught as part of the general curriculum any more, so I can understand anyone younger than I am not being aware of the original Latin expression that is abbreviated here. Et alia is a neuter plural expression meaning “and all the remainder (of those people).” Or, in plain English: “and the rest of those guys.” Knowing that, the abbreviation immediately makes sense and should stick in one’s memory like glue.

 Another common Latin abbreviation frequently seen (perhaps too frequently) is etc. It is a lazy man’s way of ending a list when he has run out of examples. The complete original Latin is et cetera meaning (similar to et alia) “and all the other similar items.” Again, knowing that the abbreviation is taken from the first three letters of the expression should help make it unforgettable. However, when I was teaching English I frequently encountered this odd variant: ect. It didn't seem to matter how often I corrected it in student essays; it was ubiquitous. One day I remarked on this to a fellow teacher who explained to me that ect was the French form of etc. I don’t recall what I said, but it most likely was something very rude about ignoramuses being allowed to teach in our school system. Since when does the Latin language change depending on the native language of the speaker? French Latin, English Latin, Russia Latin? Come on; let’s get real here. And, as for abbreviations, one letter does not arbitrarily jump from one location in the series to another.

While I am on the subject, please take note that the et in the expressions in not pronounced the same way as it is in French—with a silent t. The t in Latin is very much pronounced. In fact, the e is not pronounced the same in both languages either. In Latin, it is a short e while in French it is more like a long a sound. Be that as it may, I grow weary of Caesar electing to speak in French when uttering the three words: et tu, Brute from his final speech. He more likely would have used his native language of Latin with a short initial e and both T’s distinctly articulated.

No, I do no think we should go back to mandatory Latin instruction in our schools. But, I would like to see better-educated teachers who are familiar with the structures, reasoning, and history behind our language in classrooms. The teacher who tried to tell me that Latin is a different language to French speakers than it is to English speakers was not an isolated example of the appalling and outrageous ignorance that I have encountered in my more than 60 years of interaction with the public school system (as a student, teacher, and parent). And, this ignorance was not limited to our language: it permeates all school subject material. The myths being presented to students as though they were facts are enough to make anyone despair that we have actually made any progress in knowledge and understanding since the middle ages.