lost in translation

latin, choonping announces last night, is the most beautiful language in the world. this brought on by his just having viewed the telecast of the pope's inauguration, and hearing the single imperative oremus: let us pray. i point out that latin seems beautiful largely because all we ever hear of it comes from the catholic mass, which does not contain anything of the prosaic. we muse about latin translations of the banal -- how does one, for instance, say "how much for these three eggs?" choonping suggests "quantus tres ovo". two continents away, minzhi screams.