Wednesday, August 31, 2011

mutatis mutandis



mutatis mutandis [mjuːˈtɑːtɪs mjuːˈtændɪs] advb. phr.

1.) 'Things being changed that have to be changed', i.e. with the necessary changes; with due alteration of details in comparing cases (O.E.D. 2nd Ed.).

Etymology: Latin, from mutatis, mutandis, ablative plural respectively of past participle and gerundive of mūtāre to change.

"I know nothing more contemptible in a writer than the character of a Plagiary, which he here fixes at a venture; and this not for a passage, but a whole discourse, taken out from another book, only mutatis mutandis" (A Tale of a Tub, Jonathan Swift, 1704).

(De brug in de regen (naar Hiroshige), Vincent van Gogh, 1887)

25 comments:

Wolle said...

I will keep that in mind :)

DEZMOND said...

he he this one sounds funny in a cute way

Alababi said...

wow, your blog is very useful for a guy who wants to improve his English like me. Thanks for sharing all the words and phrases, followed. Btw, please give me a visit and tell me if my english is good enough to go study abroad.

Unknown said...

Like this one. Really smart sounding word.

A Beer for the Shower said...

This is actually a very fun word to say. In fact, the recording even seems to be having a blast--well, as much so as a synthesizer can.

Zombie said...

Hakunna mattata my friend. lol.

meandmythinkingcap said...

This , I might need this on everyday basis.

I may look like a genius and would add more emphasis on what I am trying to say whenever they dont want to change something.

Honestly the example kind of confused me.

Jazz bazooka said...

i know some latin sayings but never heard this one

Mai Yang said...

I so can relate to this word. ^_^

D4 said...

Sounds like speaking in tongues. Which is awesome.

Unknown said...

Oh this goes on in my life far to often.
Also, that painting by van Gogh is amazing. It's so textured.

Mark said...

Apropos as I have many things changing in my life today (all good). Great Van Gogh by the way (I saw it in Amsterdam and up close it's one of the most awesome pieces of art I've ever seen).

Debra She Who Seeks said...

This Latin phrase is one of the cornerstones of legalese. "Section so-and-so of the Such-and-Such Act applies mutatis mutandis, my Lord." The Plain Language movement rates it as Enemy #1.

MRanthrope said...

I said this out loud three times in a row and still have a dumb grin on my face, it just sounds that awesome/hilarious.

Meri said...

but can't you just say mutate and it would mean the same thing? I'm confused.

mjunta said...

I didn't here this but this is cool.

Bibi said...

<3 Van Gogh
Mutatis mutandis. Should remember this one, it might come in handy sometime. Isn't this one used more often in legal context?

And don't hate on the Mac :(

GMSoccerPicks said...

It sounds like Dikeme Mutombo which is A ok in my book.

ivy said...

Sort of like the new Dashboard on Blogger. Change is hard.

Unknown said...

These words seem to be drifting into entirely foreign languages...

nowaysj said...

A lot of my work recently has required a fair amount of mutandis.

Anonymous said...

At first it doesn't seem like it's raining on the painting, but it is. I like it.

Once Upon A Time... said...

this is so funny. but then there is "mutanda" in italian which means knickers lool!

jos xx

shari said...

very interesting... I've never heard of that phrase. probably because i'm so original. lol.

love the van gogh.

is it creepy that i still have the ashes of my dog, Jake? or that I plan to have my two cats taxidermied after they pass on? I didn't think so, either.

Shutterbug said...

it's like a tongue twister! Try and say that 3 times in a row!

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