Prima facie Prima facie Prima facie (; ) is a Latin expression meaning "on its first encounter" or "at first sight". The literal translation would be "at first face" or "at first appearance", from the feminine forms of "primus" ("first") and "facies" ("face"), both in the ablative case. In modern, colloquial and conversational English, a common translation would be "on the face of it". The term "prima facie" is used in modern legal English (including both civil law and criminal law) to signify that upon initial examination, sufficient corroborating evidence appears to exist to support a case. In common law jurisdictions, "prima
Dog Latin Periwig", etc. Another verse in similar vein, from Ronald Searle's "Down with Skool", is: which, when read aloud using traditional English pronunciation of Latin, sounds like the following: but which means in Latin The following spoof of legal Latin, in the fictional case of "Daniel v Dishclout" (from George Alexander Stevens' "Lecture on Heads", 1765), describes a kitchen: In English, this is: From time to time the satirical magazine "Private Eye" will publish a mock degree citation in dog Latin in order to lampoon a public figure. Dog Latin Dog Latin, also known as Cod Latin, macaronic Latin, mock Latin,