Lost in translation

THERE was a mistake in the quote written at page 8 of your newspaper (News, Sept 5).

Jesus said to Peter: “Tu es Petrus“. That means “You are Peter“, and the Latin name “Petrus” is very close to the Latin vulgaris term “petra“, and that means “stone”. But “Tu et Petrus” doesn’t make sense: the translation would be “You and Peter”.

I am an Italian student (now working as a journalist) and I have studied Latin in Italy since I was 11-12. And that’s not the first Latin mistake that I noticed here in Ireland. There are Latin grammar errors on the menus of some pubs, too!

Gianluca Avagnina

Dublin 6