Questions tagged [vocabulary]
This tag is for questions concerning the meaning and usage of individual words or a few words in conjunction with each other.
598
questions
4
votes
1answer
130 views
What is “formatting” in Latin?
I would like to adapt the proverb dē gustibus nōn est disputandum ("there's no accounting for taste") to refer to formatting—the layout of text on a page, the font selection, the use of ...
6
votes
1answer
87 views
Difference between 'urbe' and 'oppidum'?
I have found that LLPSI uses oppidum to describe cities (at least in the early chapters) while Duolingo uses urbe. What is the difference, and which should I usually use?
6
votes
2answers
106 views
What is a “rough draft” in Latin?
Suppose I'm preparing a speech for the Senate floor, and I want to make sure it sounds just right before I present it. So I come up with a rough draft, then revise it several times until I'm satisfied ...
4
votes
2answers
71 views
A noun meaning “survivor”
I am looking for a noun meaning "survivor". It looks like the closest in meaning is the adjective superstes. Can that be used as a noun, and if so how do you decline it? Per the post on ...
3
votes
1answer
93 views
Difference between geminus and gemellus
Both geminus and gemellus seem to have similar meanings: twin-born, born together, twins. Is the main difference between these two words how they were used, or did they have additional meanings that ...
3
votes
3answers
110 views
What case does 'plus' take?
I don't have any information about what case to use with 'plus' (or 'magis'). In dictionaries usually only prepositions take some case, and it is showed in parentheses.
In my language, 'more' takes ...
2
votes
0answers
25 views
What are the meanings of servus and minister in ecclesiatical latin?
Reading the answers to another question I thought about the meaning of servus and minister in christian/ecclesiastical latin.
It seems to me that in classical latin servus related clearly to the legal ...
2
votes
2answers
102 views
How do I say, “In pursuit of Truth, Beauty, and Goodness”?
I know "Truth, Beauty, Goodness" is "Veritas, Bonitas, Pulcritudo."
But do I need an "et" before "Pulcritudo"? When do you use and's in Latin?
And how would ...
5
votes
2answers
105 views
What is the best Greek word for a thrown knife?
In the Netflix show The Umbrella Academy, one character has a limited form of telekinesis: he can manipulate the movement of knives that he throws.
If I wanted to give this ability a pretentious Greek ...
7
votes
2answers
215 views
What is the source of the Greek phrase πύξ, λάξ, δάξ?
πύξ, λάξ, δάξ "by punching, kicking, and biting" is described by Wikipedia as an "epigram describing how laypersons were chased away from the Eleusinian Mysteries". Where is this ...
5
votes
0answers
71 views
Well, well, well
How to say this expression in Latin!?
Expressing surprise: Well, well, well! It is here (when smth lost and found)!
Expressing sarcasm: Well, well, well... And what now!?
Expressing begining: Well, ...
6
votes
2answers
115 views
Confusing syntax in two sentences
I seem to be confused by the constructions of these two sentences from a Medieval Latin text:
Unde vocum alia suavis est illa, scilicet quae subtilis, spissa, clara et acuta est.
and
Multiplicem ...
4
votes
0answers
59 views
Passage from Odington
I am looking at a short passage from Odington's treaty on music, and am unsure about the last bit, particularly the meaning of "abiectus" in this context. I admit to having limited skill reading Latin-...
3
votes
1answer
46 views
Are there any general rules for creating 'proper' Latin neologisms, beyond matching gender, number, and case?
For the sake of this question, I'm going to be using this definition of neologism, "A newly coined word or phrase." From my understanding, the loose etymology of this word is the French neo plus Greek ...
6
votes
1answer
156 views
Can “sum” and “nemo” work together to create a phrase meaning “I am no one?”
I have been trying to understand the relationship between "sum" and "nemo", to create a phrase meaning something like "I am no one". In all the contexts I personally ...
2
votes
1answer
110 views
Res vs Obiectus
What is the difference in meaning between Res and Obiectus( is it merely a matter of Language evolution Classical vs Medieval)?
As a meaning I am interested in that which (the thing that) is related ...
3
votes
0answers
60 views
What is a “camarilla” in Latin?
The Spanish word camarilla means a group of conspirators meeting in secret to manipulate the political leadership. It's been borrowed into English, as well as quite a few other Romance languages, ...
6
votes
3answers
173 views
What would “opossum” be in Latin?
I was wondering how one would translate the word "opossum" into Latin.
It derives from Native American names for opossum meaning variably "white dog" and "white animal," so it could be translated ...
9
votes
2answers
1k views
What should an epidemic be called in Latin?
Is there a good Latin word for an epidemic or even a pandemic?
The word epidemia is probably easily understood by most, but it doesn't seem to be a classical one.
The adjective epidemus is attested ...
3
votes
2answers
107 views
“Man to Man” in Latin?
I've been spending a lot of time on this one but not quite sure how you would preserve the idiomatic connotation of the phrase "man to man". I'm planning to use it in a sentence like "they were ...
6
votes
1answer
77 views
Mountains and Mountain Ranges: Names
I have been recently enjoying Mark Walker's delightful translation of Professor Tolkien's masterpiece, The Hobbit (Hobbitus Ille). I was especially charmed by Tolkien's maps, translated into Latin (...
3
votes
1answer
83 views
I’m exploring names for a fictional space agency. Which would be more correct?
I’d like it to have the acronym "ET"
Would it be better for it to be:
excelsior terra
or
excelsior tellus
I’m sure that there are better ways to express this though I have always liked the ...
5
votes
2answers
2k views
Latin word for “liar”
Is there a succinct pronoun for a person who is a liar? You could make a phrase for a person who lies using mentior, or construct a sentence about the lie itself with mendacium, but what a single word ...
4
votes
1answer
69 views
Translating “lesson” into Latin
Salvete,
How do people normally translate "lesson" into Latin for use in modern conversation?
English and many other languages derive their word from lectio (reading), so I suppose that would only be ...
18
votes
1answer
2k views
Are there Latin words known only by reconstruction from Romance languages?
I presume that many Latin words made it to the Romance languages, but were never attested in writing, whether because they were limited to Vulgar Latin or just because by chance no writer used them ...
2
votes
3answers
71 views
How do I know the difference between crying out, crying tears, and war cry?
All the words just say cry. I want to find a word that means crying as in crying tears, but all I see are words for war cry and crying out.
4
votes
2answers
109 views
How would the Romans have borrowed the word “Dune”?
Following up on my previous question about a latin word for "dunes", how would the Romans have adopted and latinized a word of Germanic origin like "dune"? I found a few examples of similar sounding ...
6
votes
1answer
465 views
Is there a Latin word for “dune”?
Did the Romans have a word for "dune", as in sand dunes? There are plenty of words relating to sand itself, but I can't find anything specifically about dunes. There is a placed called Arenae Montes (...
9
votes
1answer
127 views
What does “non oportet” mean?
When verbs that recommend an action to some degree (such as should, must, ought) are negated, there are two possible interpretations: (a) the action is simply not recommended, nor anything else; or (b)...
5
votes
3answers
1k views
Latin Translation for “Death to the enemies of mankind”
I'd like to translate "Death to the enemies of mankind" into Latin. How can I do that? If there are multiple ways of saying it, I would like it structured as close to a motto as possible, since that's ...
6
votes
1answer
91 views
Complete list of Greek -μι verbs
Is there an exhaustive list somewhere of all the simplex -μι verbs in Greek?
Searching Perseus for words ending in -μι brings up a long list of results, most of which are prefixed forms of the same ...
6
votes
2answers
1k views
Latin Phrase for “It goes without saying”
The title of the question pretty much sums it up.
I am looking for a Latin phrase for the English expression "It goes without saying." I am not sure if an analogous expression exists- although I would ...
3
votes
1answer
64 views
How would you translate “circumferens” in this passage from St. Augustine's Confessions?
I'm reading the beginning of St. Augustine's Confessions (Liber I Caput I), and had some trouble translating the word circumferens. How would you translate it?
magnus es, domine, et laudabilis ...
3
votes
1answer
108 views
Best Latin translation of an English Phrase “Always Present, Never Seen”
I am designing some potential products for my organization, and I want to include a version that includes a tag line written in Latin of one of the our organizational values. The phrase I'm looking ...
7
votes
2answers
1k views
How do you say this phrase in latin? Venisti, vedisti, you destroyed?
Can someone help me with this expression?
I want it to say "You came, you saw, you destroyed".
I know the first two parts... but I can't seem to find how to say the last one.
I would appreciate the ...
4
votes
1answer
155 views
Inaccurate translation of words in latin with word “defender”
I'm trying to translate the following words to Latin (see blockquote). And I've used various translation tools, but I have a strong feeling it's inaccurate.
These ones I would like to have correctly ...
4
votes
1answer
122 views
“Aliquid scribere” or “de aliquo scribere”
Scaliger once wrote Manilius nesciebat quid scribebat, by which he obviously meant that Manilius did not know what he was writing about.
In English, there is a big difference between "writing ...
2
votes
1answer
31 views
What are the proper terms for highly-educated people?
I'm curious about terms that can be used to describe these people, or the qualifications themselves:
College/university graduate
Somebody with a "Master's" qualification
Somebody with a "Doctorate" ...
5
votes
1answer
291 views
Is there a Latin equivalent of “lady”?
In English the word "lady" generally carries a positive connotation - that's why Aung San Suu Kyi is also referred to as "The Lady".
I'm wondering if Latin has an equivalent for "lady". Google ...
5
votes
1answer
102 views
What creative pursuits can I follow using the Latin Language?
While we're stuck in quarantine I have plenty of time to create. Here's what I've tried doing so far:
Helping answer easy questions on the Stack Exchange
Translating songs into Latin/Writing songs in ...
2
votes
1answer
48 views
How to determine the ending of a Latin noun?
In LLPSI, I have seen Latin be Latina, Latinum, and Latinae. What are the differences of these words and how do I determine which to use?
15
votes
7answers
6k views
Can you say “the” in Latin?
I'm reading Collar and Daniell's First Year in Latin right now and they mention that Latin has no articles such as "a", "an", and "the". Is this true? I have heard the book be inaccurate before.
9
votes
3answers
869 views
What is a leap year in Latin?
Now that it's 29th of February, there is no way not to ask:
What is a leap year in Latin?
Leap month and leap day (mensis/dies intercalaris or intercalarius) are well attested.
In the Julian calendar ...
6
votes
2answers
227 views
Deciphering a sentence
I have just encountered this sentence from an old book, however I can't understand it. not only I can't understand 3 words in bold, but also the entire sentence I can't make up.
Alia vero multo ...
2
votes
1answer
77 views
Salsissimum futura erit - is this right?
I need this translation for an artwork
"future will be salty"
Salsissimum erit futura
Salsissimum futura erit
it's a joke for an illustration of Diocletian announcing the salt as payment.
6
votes
0answers
93 views
How does Homer say “finger” and “leg?”
The English-Greek dictionary by Woodhouse translates finger as "δάκτυλος." However, the Homeric dictionary by Cunliffe doesn't have this word, and searching in the text of Homer doesn't seem to turn ...
3
votes
0answers
38 views
προσώπατα versus πρόσωπα, προσώπασι versus προσώποις in Homer
I'm working on learning Homeric vocabulary, and for this purpose I've written a script using CLTK to search for forms of a particular word through the Iliad and Odyssey. The idea is that I don't want ...
3
votes
0answers
71 views
Gen 1:28 only animals that move or all living beings?
The book of Genesis, 1:28 reads:
Crescite et multiplicamini et replete terram et subicite eam et dominamini piscibus maris et volatilibus caeli et universis animantibus, quae moventur super terram
...
2
votes
1answer
64 views
How can I say “school/university of life” in Latin?
I want to translate "school/university of life" into Latin. Meaning, where you learn about life.
Thank you in advance.
2
votes
0answers
43 views
Duumvir vs Duovir
A Duumvir, or Duovir, is one member of a two-man council.
Why are there two spellings, what does the nuance imply, and which one is correct under which circumstance?
