know better than

[YAMATO2201]

You should know better than to be fooled by the verisimilitude of the cunning politician's contriteness.

Is this sentence correct?

 

[GoesStation]

Can you express the idea with half as many syllables?

 

[YAMATO2201]

Can you express the idea with half as many syllables?

No, I can't.

Does the following sentence work for you?

Even a 15-year-old wouldn't be fooled by the cunning politician's fake contrition!

 

[GoesStation]

That's much better. It would be more natural to say Not even a fifteen-year-old would be fooled.

 

[YAMATO2201]

'mea culpa'

That phrase reminds me of the English words "culprit" and "culpable". Does culpa originally mean "guilt"?

 

[probus]

That phrase reminds me of the English words "culprit" and "culpable". Does culpa originally mean "guilt"?

The usual translation of the Latin culpa is fault, but guilt is close enough.

 

[YAMATO2201]

'mea culpa'

Does mea culpa collocate with the verbs "express" and "issue"? (express mea culpa, issue mea culpa)

 

[GoesStation]

The latter is not impossible. I don't think you'll find the former.

 

[probus]

"mea culpa" has been borrowed into English as a noun phrase. It means an apology, admitting one's fault.

So one can certainly issue a mea culpa: i.e. publish an apology.

 

[YAMATO2201]

Does mea culpa collocate with the verb "deliver"? (deliver mea culpa)