The MLA is a style guide for writing research papers commonly used in high schools, colleges and universities. The acronym stands for "Modern Language Association." The goals of the MLA are to "strengthen the study and teaching of language and literature." One of the ways they do this is by standardizing the way you write and how you use your words. In MLA format, for example, foreign language words are italicized. However, there are many exceptions to this rule, and such is the case with Latin.
Dictionary Use
Use a dictionary to determine whether the Latin word or phrase in question has been adopted into the American English language. Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary (11th ed.) is the largest and most popular dictionary for college students.
Latin Abbreviations
The MLA (7th ed.) points out three common Latin abbreviations that are never italicized: "e.g.," "et al." and "etc." However, when spelled in full, they are italicized. For example: "e.g." but "exempli gratia."
Italicization
However, if the word or phrase in question is not in the dictionary, italicize it in your research paper. Choose a font in which the italic style is significantly different from the regular style. Although a little old-fashioned, you can almost never go wrong with Times New Roman.
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References
- MLA.org: About the MLA
- MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers, Seventh Edition
Resources
Writer Bio
Based in Montreal, Emily Valentine has been editing academic papers and writing short stories since 2001. She is a contributing writer to Synonym.com, and various other websites. She holds an Honors Bachelor of Arts in English literature from the University of Toronto. Her specialties include writing fiction and nonfiction, and the history of the English language.