So recently I was corresponding with an aquaintance of mine, and we were discussing poetry - since I know people who are into that kind of thing in real life as well as online. He mentioned that most of his latest poetic efforts had been in camera. In camera (Latin: "in a chamber")[1] is a legal term meaning "in private".[1] It is also sometimes termed in chambers or in curia.
In camera describes court cases (or portions thereof) to which the public and press are not admitted.[1] In camera is the opposite of trial in open court where all the parties and witnesses testify in a public courtroom, and attorneys make their arguments in public to the trier of fact.
Anyway, as I say I like learning new words, and I know I should be embracing new ways of saying things, - but this new phrase (to me anyway - I know it's probably actually centuries old) seems designed to confuse - purpose built for that moment when you say to someone "Oh we're having our next big dinner party in camera" and they say "Cool live online? that's brilliant" and then you get to use your pithiest pithy look on them and say "I mean in the sense that it's in private".
So now I've shown you mine - can you give me any other - possibly life threatening in high brow circle - phrases in case I ever find myself there?? for example does "In the bath" actually mean "dirty and stressed out"?!?
12 comments:
hhmmm... in camera..... you could take that further. in utero... in intimate privacy. Or with a Nirvana soundtrack...
Having parents that caretake and butler a stately home (skivvies), I should know lots of high brow dinner party statements, but I'm afraid I rebelled against such high falootin ways and spent my yoof scowling at the anglo's from my bedroom window or stomping about deliberately muddy and smoking....
Not that you needed to know that!, lol! I always wonder what 'pater nostre' means.. I've heard that before! and it sounds important.
A paternoster or paternoster lift is a passenger elevator which consists of a chain of open compartments (each usually designed for two persons) that move slowly in a loop up and down inside a building without stopping. Passengers can step on or off at any floor they like.
There I've googled it for you... such an obliging blogger I am... surely there must be an award for such personal service. ;-)
I liked learning that tho! Cheers
This brought to my mind the related terms "sub vino" and "sub rosa". The latter in Latin means "under the rose" and means something is confidential, the rose being a symbol of a vow of secrecy from participants in a meeting. Rose motifs were used in ancient banquet rooms to remind guests that what was spoken sub vino (under the influence of wine) was also sub rosa.
How about 'literally,' which is used as an antonym to 'figuratively' when, in fact, they used to mean the same thing.
I always thought Pater noster meant our father but once I did actually and really get stuck in a paternoster lift and I did actually say a few 'our father's to get out.They are bucket like things that go round in a big circle that you have to lep onto and lep off. Me being a totalfeckinEEjit wondered what happened if you stayed in the lift beyond (the warnings and)the ground floor. What happened in my particular case is that below ground faced with nothing but black darkness and a brick wall I shat myself in terror thinking I will be entombed forever and jumped about in a blind panic which trips out the safety mechanism in the lift, causing the very doom you were afraid of in the first place. You then stifle yer panic and call out with as much dignity as you can muster that you are stuck.When someone hears your cries, which is pretty quick as the whole feckin busy building has been brought to a standstill with the lift broke, they send two burly and sweating and swearing security guards up into the attic of the building to wind the lift back up manually inch by inch till you arrive red-faced and terrorised back at the ground floor. Then they telephone the engineer to come and reset the lift but he can't come till wednesday(this was Monday) so for two whole days the entire office block has to use several flights of stairs and each and every one of those people know it's YOUR FAULT. Lufflee.
I thought the Elgin marbles were...you know...little glass balls with colours in. Really. And not that long ago.
x
Was involved is many in camera trials myself in days of yore.
Legal terminology is just the best, and I had to learn loads. One of my favourites was to do with indecent exposure, where "person" = penis.
Why do I always think of the rude ones?
What a cultured lot of readers I have...
interesting one Lorenzo - in vino veritas - never heard that bit about the rose meaning a secret tho, you're a font of knowledge, a font I tells ya.
Hmmm Jessica - really? or did you dream it? that's mad - funny old world.
TFE - what I don't get is how that story didn't make it into your top ten facts with one lie game!! Pater noster does mean our father too - apparently.
Rachel - now I've googled them I know what they are too, but I didn't even know they existed before that, was too ignorant to have an ignorant definition!!
Titus - that is just brilliant - think that one would stand out for me as well.
Thanks all Folks - next dinner party? Bring it on!! I'm ready.
:-)
Well, perhaps I wasn't quite accurate - but check it out - there is controversy here nonetheless.
http://www.slate.com/id/2129105/
That is interesting Jessica. Cheers
lol!.. this has been a great read :-D and thanks for finding that out... I must have a go on one of those lifts...!
Just make sure there's no TFE in there with ya!
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