You can say that again, Sam … in Latin | Letters

Our venerable Latin teacher, Mr EA Burnham, was persuaded to help us translate contemporary phrases (Letters, 1 November): the Humphrey-Bogart-style “Dic mel da mihi intermissionem” for “Say, honey, give me a break!”; or “Quis est umbo huius articulum” (“Who’s the boss of this joint?”); or for musical tastes “Fodio saxum volumenque” (“I dig rock’n’roll”). Sorry if the cases are erroneous – but it was more than 60 years ago.
Richard Bullock
Scarrington, Nottinghamshire

• Brenda Grant’s letter on the Sound of Music in Latin reminded me of my own experience in the 1960s. We had a Latin mistress called Miss Mills. We gals thought we were terribly amusing by coming up with: “Millibus satibus on the deskalorum / Deskibus collapsibus / Milli on the floorum.”

Miss Mills wrote in my report: “Helen has neither the ability nor the inclination to deal with this subject.” I didn’t, but revenge is sweet.
Helen Christie
Barrowford, Lancashire

• Never mind Latin. In the mid-1960s a classmate and I practised our German by translating pop songs of the day. One that sticks in my mind is Wir alle leben in einem gelben unterwasserboot.
Ian Watson
Glasgow

• As well as Winnie Ille Pu (Letters, 29 October), I have copies of Ursus Nomine Paddington and Fabula de Petro Cuniculo. Those keen on football as well as Latin might like to view online Tres Leones, a Latin version of Three Lions.
Elizabeth Manning
Malvern, Worcestershire

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