Dog Latin

Broken "Latin" inscription in Fishguard

Dog Latin or cod Latin is a phrase or jargon that imitates Latin,[1] often by what is referred to as "translating" English words (or those of other languages) into Latin by conjugating or declining them, as if they were Latin words. Dog Latin usually is a humorous device mocking scholarly seriousness. Also, it can mean a poor-quality attempt at writing genuine Latin.[2]

  1. ^ Brewer, E. Cobham (1898). Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. Dog-Latin. Archived from the original on 11 September 2021. Retrieved 22 May 2022 – via Bartleby.com.
  2. ^ OED s.v. "dog," compounds C3a