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.
505
questions
3
votes
4answers
3k views
Does this sentence I constructed with my junior high school latin work? I write online advertising and want to come off as snobby as possible
Essentially, I want to say something like:
"If you read this, your will will be mine". (In a teasing way like, Who Reads This Is Stupid).
I 'distilled' it as much as possible to "reader beware: your ...
7
votes
1answer
68 views
Are there minimal pairs between the acute and circumflex accent?
Ancient Greek had two (*) different types of accent on long vowels: the "circumflex" accent indicates high tone on the first mora, and the "acute" accent indicates high tone on the second. (Short ...
4
votes
2answers
74 views
“Nucis vado”? Going nuts?
Does "Nucis vado" mean going nuts? I go of a nut?
Some folks want to use it as a motto and I would like to make sure it is proper.
If not, what would "Going Nuts" be, properly translated?
Thanks for ...
3
votes
0answers
39 views
How would you translate γέγονεν in John 1:15?
I'm translating the 15th verse of John 1, and I'm curious to know the nuances of translating the phrase ὁ ὀπίσω μου ἐρχόμενος ἔμπροσθέν μου γέγονεν, and especially the word γέγονεν.
Below is the NA28 ...
4
votes
1answer
77 views
Is there a Greek word meaning to purr?
I've heard that there is no known verb for purring (of a cat) in Greek. Is that true? Any qualified guess as to what verb a Greek might have used?
3
votes
2answers
71 views
Is ulcantur a subjunctive of ultus?
I have a prayer I say every morning. It includes the word ulcantur. I can't find a translation. I think it is a subjunctive for ultus?
O Piisima Virgo Maria, quæ caput serpentis contrivisti, protege ...
1
vote
1answer
30 views
What are auscultatores?
In honor of the last broadcast of the Nuntiī Latinī:
Nuntii Latini Radiophoniae Finnicae Generalis, qui inde ab anno millesimo nongentesimo undenonagesimo (1989) iam triginta annos septimanatim ...
2
votes
1answer
60 views
Branches of Roman military in Latin
The military force of a country is often divided in branches such as an army, a navy, and an air force.
There are many other branches out there, but the point is that I am looking for a division of ...
4
votes
2answers
88 views
What is a “sockpuppet”?
Inspired by a recent meta question, which I had to write in English for lack of appropriate Latin vocabulary:
A "sockpuppet", on the internet, is an alternate identity someone creates for nefarious ...
3
votes
1answer
33 views
Proper way to say “Traveler's Writ/Licence/Certificate”
I am looking for more or less the 'proper' (or any good approximation) way to translate a "Traveler's Writ," as in a certificate or license given to a traveler that allows him legal access to an area.
...
4
votes
2answers
79 views
The meaning of 'belgicare' in Notker Balbulus
What is the meaning of the obscure verb belgicare or belgico?
Background
Notker Balbulus of St. Gall (c. 840 to 912) writes this verb in a letter/epistle to a certain Lantbert, wherein Notker ...
2
votes
1answer
114 views
Does Latin “pingo” relate to “pix”? [closed]
Does Latin "pingo" to paint relate to "pix" tar by analogy with "pango" to agree and "pax" peace?
3
votes
1answer
46 views
Can I submit a manuscript with 'submittere'?
As a scientist, I frequently find myself submitting a manuscript to a journal for peer review and hopefully publication.
What would be a good Latin verb for this sense of "submit"?
It could also be a ...
3
votes
2answers
320 views
Does “aurea” have the second meaning?
Does "aurea" have the second meaning?
http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/morph?l=aurea&la=la#lexicon aurea doesn't mean "the bridle of a horse" in the following context in my opinion:
"...
4
votes
2answers
100 views
Can one create a diminutive of a truncated form of “frater”?
In Spanish we have the word mano for hermano ("brother"), and that form can give the diminutive manito, when the brother is very small (less than one). In Latin, like in Italian, it might be possible ...
7
votes
1answer
648 views
Translating 'Liber'
I'm new to Latin (in the first semester), and recently found myself tripped up when reading a text from another student in my class, which was:
ille liber mihi nunc bonum est
Whether it was lack ...
4
votes
1answer
62 views
What should we call the space beyond the world?
To the Romans, if I understand right, the word caelum "sky" incorporated everything above the earth: the atmosphere, the space beyond it, and even the thrones of the gods.
But nowadays we divide ...
1
vote
1answer
64 views
Why is the phrase “horror vacui” commonly interpreted as “nature abhors a vacuum”?
Why is the Latin phrase: horror vacui commonly interpreted as: nature abhors a vacuum?
It may well be Aristotle's intended message, given the context, but it seems like a bit of a jump. Doesn't it? ...
4
votes
1answer
80 views
What would a Roman call modern necromancy?
Originally, the word necromantīa referred to a sort of divination using ghosts, like what Odysseus did on his journey home: he made an offering and summoned the shade of Tiresias, in order to ask him ...
7
votes
1answer
135 views
The opposing meanings of the word donec?
I saw that "donec" might mean: "as long as", but it also can mean "till". In a sense those are opposing meanings. let's consider this example:
I'm happy as long as there is daylight outside
I'm ...
6
votes
4answers
774 views
A latin word for “area of interest”
Looking for a word that expresses "Area of Interest", "Sphere of Interest" basically a word that expresses everything a person may be interested in.
Google translate says "Rem" means interest, but ...
8
votes
1answer
396 views
What is Plautus’s pun about frustum and frustrum?
The word frustum is often mispronounced as frustrum.
Wikipedia states that this mispronunciation goes back a long time and a pun about them is included in the works of Plautus.
Can anyone direct me ...
6
votes
2answers
85 views
How were fractions written and pronounced?
In English, when we want to express parts of wholes and certain numbers of said parts, we use fractions consisting of a denominator indicating how many equal pieces an item has been broken or divided ...
2
votes
1answer
66 views
Is the Latin word verenda a noun? If so, which lexical root it has?
Is the Latin word verenda a noun? If so, which lexical root does it have?
Deu.25:11:
"Si habuerint inter se jurgium viri duo, et unus contra alterum rixari coeperit, volensque uxor alterius eruere ...
8
votes
1answer
288 views
Is crescere the correct word meaning to to grow or cultivate?
I am creating a program that helps people learn a growth mindset and “grow” into what they want to become. Is crescere the correct word meaning to to grow or cultivate?
3
votes
2answers
83 views
What would be a literal translation of “Satan”?
In Ancient Greek, the Hebrew word שָׂטָן (satan, "adversary") is sometimes translated as διάβολος (diábolos, "betrayer") and sometimes adapted as Σατανᾶς (Satanâs).
In Latin, it seems like there ...
15
votes
6answers
9k views
Is Cola “probably the best-known” Latin word in the world? If not, which might it be?
I found this in an ecological park:
Cola is actually a Latin word (a scientific one, referring to the plant), albeit its etymology is African.
I am curious about whether it is "probably" the best-...
4
votes
2answers
346 views
How to find the stem of any word?
I am wondering if the stem of every word has an exact form?
For example:
For the word genus, how could you determine is it gen or gener?
For the word līber, how could you determine is it līber or ...
4
votes
3answers
85 views
Why there are several words for swimming?
The words nō, natō, adnō are all verbs which means to swim. They have their own conjugation respectively.
Maybe there are not only three, but I'm not sure.
I wonder why there are several words in ...
2
votes
3answers
133 views
Does 'ipse' truly mean change?
This quote hails from the liner notes to this CD: John Adams's Violin Concerto performed by Leila Josefowicz, David Robertson of St. Louis Symphony Orchestra. Alice Miller Cotter has a BA in Music (...
7
votes
6answers
1k views
How to say 'striped' in Latin
I'm looking for a way to describe striped cloth — that is, with regular stripes all over, or like the stripes on the flag of the USA.
I'm well aware of the stripe on a toga, angusticlavus, etc. But ...
6
votes
1answer
109 views
In what sense is a university (universitas) a whole?
The word for a university in many languages (not Finnish though!) comes the Latin word universitas.
The word appears to mean roughly "the whole", but one might also analyze it along the lines of "...
3
votes
4answers
116 views
How do you translate: What things, then, will you do?
How do you translate the following sentence:
What things, then, will you do?
I am particularly doubtful of the translation of "things" here. Would we use res, rei?
2
votes
2answers
77 views
How would you say “same thing” in Latin?
How would you say "same thing" in Latin? As in the sentence: If only you were feeling the same thing that I feel for you?
3
votes
1answer
339 views
What would the Romans have called “sorcery”?
In Christian Latin, the word maleficia is used for "witchcraft" or "sorcery": supernatural powers that don't come from God, and are probably associated with demons. A person who uses these powers is a ...
2
votes
1answer
54 views
An idiom for working as something
I would like to have a good idiom or two to express working in some position.
A structure like this seems to be missing from my vocabulary, or at least I don't feel confident enough that what I might ...
6
votes
2answers
536 views
What is a romance in Latin?
The word "romance" seems to come from Latin, but no similar Latin word appears to mean anything related.
Is there a good Latin word for a romance, a kind of an intimate relationship?
I cannot think of ...
3
votes
1answer
24 views
Usage of Exigo, Exigere
Can the verb "exigo, exigere, exegi, exactum," be used to mean "that man will pull through, despite his many injuries?"
Wheelocks' translation allows for the meanings of "drive through, complete, ...
20
votes
3answers
7k views
“Oh no!” in Latin
Are there idiomatic Latin exclamations similar to the English "oh no!" used when one finds oneself in an unfortunate situation?
The only thing that I came up with is that I might want to use vae or o ...
5
votes
1answer
152 views
Can “nemo” be an adjective?
I subscribe to a "Latin word of the day" email, which sends me a random vocabulary word and an example sentence every day. Last night's email had this:
pecco, to sin.
Nemo accusator caret culpa; ...
4
votes
1answer
65 views
Please translate: “Bacon Machine” (Apologies in advance for the somewhat silly question)
For a game I'm working on, I'm looking for a phrase in Latin that describes a robot created for the purpose of making synthetic bacon.
After looking at Latin grammar books, my current guess as to a ...
2
votes
1answer
66 views
Understanding the use of “regnavit”
Regnavit is the
third-person singular perfect active indicative of rēgnō
(Wiktionary)
Now, many times this word translated as if present, regnat, which is puzzling. For example, consider Psalm ...
3
votes
1answer
65 views
Is “eloquii mystici” a correct translation of “sorcerers/enchanters”?
Is "Omnus nos eloquii mystici" correctly written to say "We are all sorcerers/enchanters"? I know there are different ways to say sorcerer or enchanter, but I really want to use "eloquii mystici". I ...
23
votes
4answers
11k views
How do I say “Brexit” in Latin?
Londinium, Britannia, 284 AD. The military commander Carausius is leading a movement to take Britannia out of the Imperium Romanum. He thinks there is a conspiracy between locals and foreigners to ...
4
votes
1answer
69 views
What does the f. adjective “tulda” mean?
In the scientific name Bambusa tulda, I would like to know what tulda (tuldus?) means.
3
votes
2answers
348 views
What is the Latin word for “will”, as in “willpower”?
The English noun "will" has a few different meanings. One is the choice or intention to do something, as in "willing" and "free will": Latin voluntās.
Another meaning, though, is more like "resolve" ...
3
votes
1answer
56 views
Lost and Confused--Supplemental
I am advised to re-submit this as a separate question (had thought, initially, it was just an aside, barely worthy of mention); anyway, North & Hillard Ex. 195: "All order thus being lost, Nicias ...
3
votes
2answers
175 views
Uter vs. Uterque
The way I learned 'uter' and 'uterque' was as follows. 'Uter' is like the Greek 'πότερος', meaning (in interrogative uses) 'which, of two?' and (in non-interrogative uses) 'either, of two'. I learned ...
3
votes
2answers
56 views
Trying to come up with a sort of wordplay phrase that translates to “power takes control”
Trying to come up with a sort of wordplay phrase that translates to “power takes control” but uses a Latin word that can mean both takes as in requires and takes as in takes away from you. This is for ...
2
votes
1answer
53 views
How do I translate “On the Nature of Renewal” into Latin?
I'm trying to create a title in latin:
On the Nature of Renewal
where Renewal could be exchanged with Rebirth or Regeneration, and Nature is maybe better as Subject. With this structure, I figured ...
