@Pontifex: Would the Romans have tweeted?

(Vatican Radio) The launch of Benedict XVI’s @Pontifex Twitter account provides Veronica Scarisbrick with the opportunity to put all kinds of linguistic questions relating to this venture to our popular ‘Latin Lover’, Carmelite Father Reginald Foster.

As Father Foster explains a Ciceronian translation of all things 'twitter' is possible. He claims in fact that he almost jumped out of his skin when he realised that in his letter to Atticus Cicero writes: ‘Breviloquentem iam me tempus ipsum facit’..

But the question is would the Romans have tweeted and if so would they have enjoyed a social networking site? Well according to Father Foster the answer is: “..certainly, they had messages, coded messages, telegraphic messages, the Romans had everything…”

A programme presented and produced by Veronica Scarisbrick

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