The controversy wonโt go dormant. From a reader:
Mr. Goldberg,
There may not be a single word for a volcano, but there is a Latin phrase for it:
mons flammas eructans (โmountain belching fireโ)
Thanks.
And:
Arenโt you being more than a trifle gullible? The Romans employed ample terminology for volcanoes; even more for the sort of eruptions of stupidity evidenced by your reader. I suggest you consign his email to the mouth of a mons flammas eructans. While youโre at it, utter a prayer to Volcanus.
And:
good heavens โ anyone who saw the doctor who episode โthe fires of
pompeiiโ (2008) knows there was no latin word for โvolcano.โ also,
that as bad as volcanic eruptions are, they prevent the pyrovile rock
people from becoming our new alien overlords. sheesh.
And:
According to the episode โThe Fires of Pompeiiโ they simply didnโt have one.
THE DOCTOR (subdued, to Donna)
They donโt know what it is. Vesuvius is just a mountain to them, the top hasnโt blown off yet. The Romans havenโt even got a word for volcano. Not until tomorrow.
On a slightly more serious note, Iโve recently become hooked on Doctor Who (thanks to iTunes) and was wondering if you had any thoughts on the series.
Love your work
And:
Whatโs the big deal? After all, the French donโt have a word for entrepreneur, right?
And, last.






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