What’s a Motto with You?

Latin's role as a signifier of culture, education, prestige and tradition lives on. That’s a central point made by Latin major Alice Ochterski in her oral presentation, “‘What’s a Motto with You?’ Latin Mottoes of the United States.” But beyond conjuring notions of sophistication — especially important to western states in the latter half of the 19th Century, when many of these mottoes were adopted — there’s another reason the language is a popular motto choice. “Latin is concise,” Ochterski says. “You can say more with fewer words.” Even as the number of Latin programs has decreased in K-12 education, or maybe even because of that, Ochterski hypothesizes, “Latin education has seen an increase in people who are passionate about it.” And since 2000, three more states have adopted Latin mottoes, including Vermont. Three years ago, during Latin Day celebrations right here at UVM, “Stella quarta decima fulgeat” (“May the fourteenth star shine bright”) became the official Latin motto for Vermont.