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.
664
questions
7
votes
2answers
2k 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 ...
9
votes
1answer
175 views
What word did the Romans use to describe a hot, dry, sandy desert?
Did the Romans during the classical era have a word for a dry, hot, desert? There is desertum, but that is more "wilderness" than explicitly desert in the sense we might think of today. ...
4
votes
1answer
176 views
Inaccurate translation of phrases 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
142 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
37 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
357 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 ...
6
votes
2answers
153 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 ...
25
votes
3answers
9k views
What is bullshit in Latin?
If a statement is blatantly wrong or shows lack of interest in the truth, one can call it bullshit in English.
But how about Latin?
Is there something more strong and colorful than falsus?
I am not ...
2
votes
1answer
157 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
9k 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
922 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
238 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
79 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
122 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
49 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 ...
7
votes
2answers
195 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
94 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
47 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?
5
votes
1answer
110 views
Counting to ten in Homeric Greek
How do you count to ten in Homeric Greek? The following is what I put together by knowing how to count to ten in modern Greek, and then looking for ancient forms that looked similar. Is this right for ...
5
votes
0answers
59 views
Old illustrated books showing daily life in ancient Greece or Rome
When I was learning French, I found it very helpful to work on my vocabulary using a picture book called First Thousand Words in French. For example, it would have something like a full-page picture ...
1
vote
1answer
125 views
Translation of ab and de in Greek,
How would one best translate ab and de from Latin to Greek in order to capture the different nuances?
In Greek both are usually translated as από.
I am trying to capture the nuances so I am using ...
1
vote
1answer
47 views
What do “inexquisitum” and “supramemorati” mean?
In a medieval document I am reading the words "inexquisitum" and "supramemorati" appear. I do not know these words, can not find them on Google and they are not in my dictionary. Does anyone know what ...
9
votes
2answers
1k views
When can “qui” mean “how”?
From brianpck's comment on another answer:
"qui" quite often means "how" in Plautus
This took me by surprise, since I'd never seen that use before.
In what contexts can quī mean "how"? And where ...
0
votes
1answer
83 views
How to translate: “If anyone asks what you are now learning tell them they are unworthy?”
I am curious about the best way to translate this sentence into Latin:
"If anyone asks what you are now learning tell them they are unworthy"
Thanks in advance!
-Sue
7
votes
2answers
173 views
What is “appactim”?
The asker of another question cited a passage from a Hebrew-Latin lexicon:
At הֲלוֹם, arab. هَلُمَّ particula, huc, usque huc. pr. appactim.
Another edition of the book seems to confirm this ...
5
votes
2answers
353 views
Advenit versus Venit
In Cap. VII of LLPSI, Ørberg introduces Advenit with the following sentence
Ecce Iulius ad villam advenit.
It's curious to me that the verb includes the preposition; why not just use venit alone ...
6
votes
1answer
244 views
What does “Filiane” mean?
I am learning Latin from Collar and Daniell's FIRST YEAR LATIN. In LESSON IV: THE GENITIVE CASE TO DENOTE POSSESSION, an exercise is given (sentence translation).
Some examples:
Līberatne? Līberō, ...
3
votes
1answer
378 views
Lists of words to memorize before reading Lingua Latina Per Se Ilustrata classified by type: nouns, verbs, adjectives, etc
I read that a good way to use LLPSI is by memorizing lists of words before going to the text. Does anyone know where these word list are?
2
votes
1answer
58 views
Translation request
I would like to translate the term "always loved" - referring to 2 parents.
Would it be acceptable to translate this as semper carissimi rather than semper amati?
5
votes
2answers
470 views
Translating “newsletter” or “bulletin”
Is there any analogue of English newsletter or French bulletin in Latin?
3
votes
0answers
83 views
Discere and Studere
When "discere" can be synonymous with "studere"?
I read an old book saying that:
"discere" and "studere" aren't usually synonymous, but they can be in some particular contexts.
I'd like to know in ...
2
votes
1answer
56 views
ULD adpositions
To familiarize myself with Latin adpositions, I tried to translate the first chapter of the Universal Language Dictionary.
I would like to find for each term the least ambiguous and most common ...
3
votes
1answer
106 views
Fill vs fill up in Latin?
If I wanted to translate "To fill a cup" and "To fill up a cup", are there in Latin 2 different words to translate "fill" and "fill up"?
To fill up = to fill totally.
6
votes
1answer
228 views
Substantivization of “continuum”
I wonder how to translate "continuum hypothesis" into Latin. Indeed, "continuum" is an adjective in Latin (so we would have "continuous hypothesis" if we were trying a literal translation) and I don't ...
5
votes
1answer
843 views
Generic toast in classical Latin
Was there a generic toast that Romans would say to each other when drinking, along the lines of Cheers, or Sláinte. It doesn't need to have the meaning of those so much as have the same cultural usage:...
2
votes
2answers
141 views
How do I translate this phrase?
The phrase is "apud milites questus fratrem sibi insidias comparare". I know all the words individually but for some reason, the sentence just is not coming together in my mind.
To give some context, ...
10
votes
2answers
677 views
Present participles of the verb esse
Inspired by the answers to this question, I want to ask about the different present participles of esse over time and their fate. I am aware that esse is a defective verb that classically does not ...
7
votes
1answer
168 views
Italiānus “native or inhabitant of Italy” - Latin or Macaronicanese?
I've come across the adjective italiānus in reference to the modern people of Italy, their culture and language in Internet Latin, and found it suspicious. I would like to know:
whether it's ...
1
vote
1answer
356 views
Mysterious word for “expert” in an Italian anthology's version of Sappho LP 21
In this Italian anthology, LP 21 l. 2 (the first line where the papyrus has letters) is read as containing επαβολησ (and perhaps vestigia around it). The first word in the translation is "esperta", ...
8
votes
3answers
252 views
Cibus sanus — healthy food?
The Duolingo Latin course uses sanus as "healthy" in connection with meals.
A healthy lunch would be prandium sanum according to the course.
But I always thought that sanus is only refers to ...
0
votes
1answer
80 views
Explanatory and Etymological dictionary of the Latin Language
With the term explanatory I am translating ερμηνευτικό. A dictionary which defines words comprehensively and clearly.
If one considers Oxford University to be the authority on the English language ...
5
votes
1answer
185 views
Thematic, genred concepts in Ancient Greek?
Trying to come up with magical 'schools' for a game, and my goal is to:
Use Ancient Greek, Koine if absolutely necessary
Have words of generally the same length and number of syllables (not like, ...
1
vote
0answers
30 views
Untraceable word in a combination of LP fragments
LP 68(b) and 69 have been combined into a single text by the impression that they were «ex eadem parte papyri» and by the one letter split between the two. The resulting text, found in 6.A.iv here, ...
9
votes
1answer
249 views
Substantive adjectives “Latīna, Graeca” as language names
For example, I want to say: Latīna placet mihi magis quam Graeca, quamquam in Graecā multō plūra et doctiōra dē philosophiā scrīpta sunt.
I've seen people claiming that this use is incorrect and that ...
4
votes
1answer
131 views
Does “physicae artis” mean “physics”?
Google Translate translates "physicae artis" as "Physics". Is that correct? What would be the reasoning of it? Why isn't it "nature of the art" or "physics of the art"?
This is related to the ...
7
votes
1answer
1k views
In memoriam: why not “in memoria”?
Consider this usual example of Latin+English:
As Wiktionary states, in memoriam literally means "into memory" (memoriam is in accusative case). However, as Wiktionary (above) and Wikipedia state, the ...
14
votes
2answers
5k views
Is Duolingo good for Latin?
On August 28*, 2019 Duolingo announced its Latin course for English speakers.
Out of curiosity, I subscribed, but I'm just starting to peek into it.
My question is (if anyone has tried it in depth ...
7
votes
2answers
193 views
Does “laudate” imply the morning part the day? (or are these translations wrong?)
This 2000's document by the Vatican, clarifying some issues relative to the Liturgy of the Hours (or Divine Office), states (original in Latin):
c) per se Laudes recitari debent horis matutinis, ...
9
votes
2answers
348 views
When did “virgo” gain its sexual meaning?
The primary meaning I associate with virgo, virginis is "young woman", perhaps a bit older than a puella but not yet a mulier.
However, the descendants of this word (in English and the Romance ...
5
votes
1answer
107 views
Did “quartilis” exist?
In statistics, a point that separates out (a multiple of) 25% of the data set is called a "quartile". Similarly, if it separates out 20% of the data, it's a "quintile", 1% a "percentile", and in ...
