All Questions
5,500
questions
2
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12
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"vulgarem latinum accentu italico pronunciatum sed est"
In the comment section of "Shakespeare's Julius Caesar in LATIN · Act I Scene 1" by ScorpioMartianus, one can read the following comment:
vulgarem latinum accentu italico pronunciatum sed ...
- 418
1
vote
0
answers
17
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What are the vowel quantities in “einsteinianus”?
If I am correct, the adjective derived from the last name of Albert Einstein is “einsteinianus, -a, -um” (it is similar in Italian, Spanish and Portuguese).
I know that the suffix is “-ānus” but how ...
- 81
3
votes
0
answers
31
views
Accusative for dative with "latere" in Medieval Latin?
Accusative for dative with "latere" in Medieval Latin?
From: Dolopathos sive de rege et septem sapientibus of Joannes of Alta Silva (c. 1200); in "A Primer of Medieval Latin" by ...
- 127
5
votes
0
answers
67
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What does ut mean in this sentence
I'm struggling to find the right translation for 'ut' in the sentence below. For context, it's part of a property transaction in a Manorial Court Roll from circa 1700.
Willelmus Taylor dedit Domino ...
- 313
4
votes
0
answers
35
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thingamajig, doohickey, whatchamacallit, thingamabob &c
What might be used in Latin for such place holders? The word ‘gadget’ apparently was first used in this sense viz. a widely agreed upon form used to replace a word temporarily forgotten. I suppose ‘...
- 1,112
4
votes
0
answers
30
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The active and passive infinitives are said to be from locative and dative nouns, respectively: why?
According to this post, the active infinitive was formed as the locative of nouns based on verbal stems. Why was the locative used for the infinitive, rather than, say, the accusative?
The noun genos/...
- 19k
7
votes
3
answers
935
views
Is Wheelock's Latin comprehensive?
Is Wheelock's Latin complete?
By this I mean precisely the following:
In reading the classical authors, will there be constructions, exceptions, etc. that are not covered by the textbook?
When I ...
- 81
7
votes
2
answers
214
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How to Say "only as long as" in Latin?
In 1598 French King, Henri Quatre, passed the "Edict of Nantes", to protect French Huguenots from persecution by members of the Catholic majority. Almost a century later, his grandson, Louis ...
- 7,380
5
votes
0
answers
30
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Is the ancient word Greek πῐ́θηκος / píthēkos ("monkey") attested with the meaning "dwarf" more than once?
I am interested in the obscure etymology of popular Romanian word "pitic" (n.m. "dwarf", adj. "of small stature").
It might have a connection with the Latin line that led ...
- 151
4
votes
1
answer
65
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What is it about?
I believe "liber de bellō est" would mean "the book is about/concerning war". What question would elicet that as a response? I.e. how would I say "what is the book about/...
2
votes
0
answers
82
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When did the Latin language stop changing?
Visiting an old house today, I observed a Latin inscription above the door and it occurred to me that it makes sense to use a 'dead' language for permanent messages as the meaning of the words will ...
DrMcCleod
2
votes
1
answer
64
views
“Itis” Versus “Is” in Latin
I am learning Latin on Duolingo, and the app does not clarify when to use “itis” and when to use “is”. They both mean “to go”, for the second person singular in present tense. Clarification would be ...
- 123
5
votes
1
answer
57
views
How to say "in solid rock" in Latin to convey specific technical meaning?
I am writing a paper that describes nuclear reactions that take place in the earth's crust leading to the formation of volatile gases. In several places, I need to distinguish between things that ...
- 153
0
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0
answers
30
views
3
votes
2
answers
173
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Confusing words
Voces denotent eventum quo factum est, videlicet, ut id quod ad intelligendum ex consilio Dei propositum erat, vel absconditum sit, id est, non acceptum cum intellectu & sensu; vel revelatum, id ...
- 979
0
votes
1
answer
65
views
How to determine when a noun is an objective genitive versus a subjective genitive?
St. Augustine writes in Soliloq. i, 10:
nihil esse sentio quod magis ex arce deiiciat animum virilem quam blandimenta feminæ, corporumque ille contactus sine quo uxor haberi non potest.
Is the ...
- 3,066
7
votes
2
answers
711
views
Coronat Virtus In Corde Mea / Virtue Reigns In My Heart?
Could this correctly translate to "Virtue Reigns In My Heart"? I prefer to use "coronat" instead of "regnat" but would it still be correct?
I believe that "coronat ...
- 71
8
votes
1
answer
990
views
How is that there are two different words, comparo, that appear to be identical?
In various dictionaries, like Lewis & Short, there are two completely separate entries for the word comparo, which otherwise appear to be identical in conjugation. How is that these two entries ...
- 3,793
4
votes
2
answers
660
views
For what Vulpes --> Vulpecula, but Sorex never will be Soreculus
Vulpes --> Vulpecula, all right, but:
Sorex --> Soriculus, not Soreculus
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soriculus
- 341
7
votes
1
answer
203
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A medieval poem by Pietro Crinito
In searching the phrase gravis ambitus (an attempt to render "tense/harsh/difficult atmosphere"), I found an interesting poem by Pietro Crinito (Latin ode on his long sickness and ...
- 7,571
5
votes
1
answer
95
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Classical Translation for "aura, vibrations, feeling"
I have struggled in finding an adequate translation for the above mentioned words, that designate the subtle ambiance that something is thought to emit or convey. Like "she gives me negative ...
- 172
3
votes
1
answer
345
views
When does the letter s after ex- get omitted?
I ask this since there is so much variation in this situation. For example, s after ex- prefixed words mostly gets omitted in later period texts, but can also be found in Vergil's work, despite also ...
4
votes
1
answer
350
views
Why do translators translate Newton's 2nd law as though it referred to "force" when it does not mention force?
Here's Newton's 2nd law.
Lex II: Mutationem motus proportionalem esse vi motrici impressae, et
fieri secundum lineam rectam qua vis illa imprimitur.
The term esse vi motrici is often translated as ...
6
votes
1
answer
95
views
+100
Should apposition in ancient Greek be identified as juxtaposition or coordination?
I have noticed in Greek grammars that varying descriptions of the syntactic relationship of elements placed side-by-side (with no conjunction) have been alternately described as either A) (...
3
votes
1
answer
44
views
Degenerate vs Degeneracy
How would you distinguish between the verb and acting/being in the state of?
Does degeneratum capture that concept (I.E - propter degeneratum or per degeneratum)? Or does that instead translate as a ...
- 41
5
votes
2
answers
142
views
Latin Equivalent of "Comparing Apples and Oranges"
Is there an equivalent Latin expression that is similar to "comparing apples and oranges"?
For example:
Person 1: Our hockey goalie is so much better than your hockey goalie! Our hockey ...
- 243
8
votes
1
answer
83
views
Stacking many infinitives
Consider the sentence: Dixit se velle posse audere venire.
("He said that he wants to be able to dare to come.")
This has a stack of four infinitives.
In theory we might be able to stack as ...
- 105k
2
votes
1
answer
78
views
Meaning of old Greek neighborhoods' names
I was curious about the meaning/origins/etymology of the names of some of the well-known historic neighborhoods of central Athens.
I can assume that due to their age, there's a connection to classical ...
- 21
7
votes
1
answer
163
views
Use of gerund with ablative of means or method
A beginner's question: when using an ablative of means/method where the means/method in question is a verb, does that verb take the gerund ablative form? This is the sentence which prompted the ...
- 319
-1
votes
0
answers
81
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Words that have both transitive and intransitive force
Some words seem to have both transitive and intransitive meanings.
For example, fallo means to cheat or deceive, but it can also mean to be mistaken. So, you can either deceive someone else, or you ...
- 3,793
8
votes
1
answer
328
views
How to express "a little bit of" a mass noun outside of the nominative or accusative case
How do you say "a little (small amount) of" a mass noun when the noun phrase is not in the nominative or accusative case or is the object of a preposition?
Normally a partitive genitive is ...
5
votes
1
answer
90
views
What is the meaning of praeprimis?
I came across the word "praeprimis" when reading some 17th century Latin (Experimenta nova, Otto von Guericke, b. 4 ch. 15 ). To my best guess, it's a combination of "praecipue" ...
- 838
6
votes
1
answer
136
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Recitation of the Iliad
I'm a beginner in Ancient Greek trying to learn about pronouciation. I'm particularly interested in Homer's Iliad.
I'm aware that this is a controversial topic, to put it mildly, so I don't expect ...
- 579
1
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0
answers
67
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What is the preferred beginners book on beginning to learn latin? [duplicate]
This is for someone who wants to begin studying but has little to no knowledge of the language. Should I stick to a classic Latin primer or something more modern? Thank you.
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13
votes
1
answer
2k
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What did Ancient Greek plays look like?
(Note: I'm asking about text, not performance practice, which is well documented. Also this question is open to Ancient Roman plays, if the problems discussed below apply to them as well.)
The “...
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-2
votes
1
answer
82
views
How grammatical mistake transmitted in manuscripts
In my previse posts, I asked the question on interpolation of the word "non" in sentences, community from both Reddit and stack provide a very detailed and good answer, but while reading all ...
- 423
2
votes
1
answer
62
views
What were the typographical rules for the title pages of New Latin books?
Many New Latin book title pages look like the following:
What are the rules or at least the habits followed for which part of the title is either italicized, capitalized, etc.?
I guess it has ...
- 418
5
votes
0
answers
70
views
What etymological dictionaries of Latin are there?
In many cases, I want to look up cognates or PIE reconstructions for Latin words, and it would be nice to have a more scholarly source than Wiktionary.
What are the standard reference works in this ...
- 53.6k
6
votes
1
answer
397
views
Why does ploro mean lament, but exploro means explore?
The root word ploro means to lament. So, for example, deploro means to cry over or despair, and imploro means to beseech. However, exploro means explore or search out and appears to be completely ...
- 3,793
5
votes
2
answers
88
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Meaning of "pro temperiei diversitate" in Guericke's Experimenta Nova
Otto von Guericke, in Experimenta Nova (1672), is describing how a feather floats above a globe of sulphur. In this quote, I'm interested in the phrase "pro temperiei diversitate", which I ...
- 838
5
votes
2
answers
286
views
Translate from English to Latin: Do not forget that you are a child of God
Is this correct?: Noli te oblivisci puerum Dei.
I’m interested in the translation most conforming to Ecclesiastical Latin.
- 71
5
votes
2
answers
93
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Is there a Latin proverb stating you should take responsibility for your actions, and accept the consequences if you don't?
Title sums it up. There's a (in my view, quite liberal) ideology that people have to take responsibility for their actions (if in their right minds, that is), and just take the consequences if they ...
- 59
0
votes
1
answer
68
views
Pronunciation of sedes
I typically pronounce sedes as SED-ays. However, I recently noticed that the "Holy See," meaning the bishopric of the Vatican, comes from Sancta Sedes (the Holy Seat), so if this is being ...
- 3,793
7
votes
1
answer
83
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Why "inscripserim" and not "inscripsi" in Haury's translation of "Le Petit Prince"?
Haury's translation of the dedication of "Le Petit Prince" begins like this:
Pueros oro ut mihi ignoscant quod librum hunc ad adultum hominem inscripserim.
I don't get why we have a ...
- 418
6
votes
1
answer
509
views
What does “per se praeclarissima videtur” mean when talking about a difficult problem?
I am translating De numeris primis valde magnis by Leonhard Euler and I am somewhat puzzled by the following phrase on the second page: “per se praeclarissima videtur”.
Ac profecto natura numerorum ...
- 63
2
votes
1
answer
112
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To be Overcharged, Short-Changed & Swindled
Recently, in CHAT, Pompeii was mentioned (the "CAVE-CANEM" mosaic) which reminded me of my visit. I stayed in Naples. There, it soon became clear that the overcharging and short-changing of ...
- 7,380
6
votes
2
answers
331
views
'Volo' in Indirect Speech
I am to translate the following sentence into Latin:
The king told Fabricius that he would give him a fourth part of the kingdom.
I did it as follows:
Rex Fabricium dixit se velle dare quartam ...
5
votes
2
answers
119
views
Translation of "The ant labors for the good of the nest"
I'm looking to translate "The ant labors for the good of the nest", or to rephrase, "The ant works for the benefit of the nest/hive/colony".
So far I've come up with:
formica ...
- 53
4
votes
1
answer
53
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What does "sed eos insuper permiscue porcos esse" mean in Hermann von dem Busche's Vallum Humanitatis?
In 1518, the Cologne humanist Hermann von dem Busche published Vallum Humanitatis, which he meant in the sense of A Defensive Rampart around the Humanities. As Hermann tells it, this defense was ...
- 5,423
5
votes
1
answer
94
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Did the Romans have an idiom or saying similar to "one thing leads to another"?
Did any writers of antiquity use a saying or phrase that has an equivalent meaning to "one thing leads to another" in English? I'm looking for the more general meaning in that one action ...
- 7,402