Lectures For Lifelong Learners!

The English language is layered like a lemon meringue pie. At the bottom, you’ve got the short, gritty words from old Germanic roots. Above them spreads the smooth, elegant gloss of words derived from French. And floating above it all is the fluffy meringue—long, grandiose words from Latin and Greek. In this talk, I will look at different slices of English prose, from the Declaration of Independence to the Unabomber, showing how Latinate words can elevate the meaning of the text or justify heinous acts.