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Me: Let's try to figure out what this means: "Latina est Gaudium et Utilis." “Latina?”
Quizzical Girl: … Um … Latin?
Me: Yes… that wasn’t a trick! “est”?
Studious Girl: “is”
Me: Yes. Now can anyone guess what “gaudium” means?
[Enthusiastic Boy's hand rockets into the air]
Me: Yes?
Enthusiastic Boy [slams hand back down on desk]: Never mind. It’s definitely wrong.
Me: You don’t know that for certain. What did you think it was?
Enthusiastic Boy: GOUT!
Me: Ah… you were right—that’s not what “gaudium” means. But you’re listening to the way it sounds, and that is one thing you should be doing.
[We establish that “gaudium” means “fun” and of course they know that “et” is “and”]
Me: Now “utilis” you might be able to figure out.
[ Another girl’s hand shoots up]
Me: Yes?
Little Girl: Useful!
Me: Exactly! What made you realize that?
Little Girl: I thought it sounded like “useless.”
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I had to giggle.
