Questions tagged [word-comparison]
For questions about comparing two or more words, not for comparative forms of adjectives.
128
questions
6
votes
1answer
499 views
When to use ae vs a for plurals?
I'm reading Familia Romana book and encountered these 2 sentences.
Corsica et Sardinia insulae magnae sunt.
And
Brundisium et Sparta oppida magna sunt.
Why does the ae changes to a and vice versa?
4
votes
1answer
79 views
What is the relation and history of 'si' and 'sic'?
Lewis and Short tell me that sic comes from si by adding the particle -ce.
I can understand sice wearing down to sic, but I do not quite understand how I am supposed to understand the meanings of the ...
6
votes
1answer
199 views
Two levels of 'and'
What I am looking for is best illustrate by an example, so please excuse the detour.
In Finnish there are two words for "and": "ja" and "sekä".
When used together, "...
10
votes
1answer
179 views
Lonely vs. alone
A person is alone when there are no other people around.
A person is lonely when the presence of other people is missed.
Neither implies the other; you can be lonely but not alone or alone but not ...
3
votes
0answers
108 views
What are the differences between “demens” and “insanus”? Are there any single Latin words (nouns) for “insane person”?
First, I'm struggling with understanding the difference between demens and insanum.
My understanding is that demens is an adjective (insane). I've also seen insanum in a few online dictionaries (here'...
6
votes
1answer
653 views
Can we finally know the difference between these words?
There seem to be four different Latin words, all of which are common, and all of which seem to mean exactly the same thing, "finally":
tandem
denique
demum
postremo
Is there any difference ...
4
votes
2answers
188 views
What is the difference between etiam and enim?
In Latin etiam and enim seem to have pretty similar meanings.
I notice that both Greek and Latin seem to use connective words like this a lot, I suppose because they had no punctuation, so they serve ...
6
votes
1answer
176 views
Euler passage translation (Latin in 18th century)
I would like to include a translation of a brief passage from Euler's music text Tentamen novae theoriae musicae (1739) in an article I am writing, but find the original somewhat tricky to work with. ...
7
votes
1answer
230 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?
7
votes
1answer
1k views
Distinguishing house from home
The common word domus can mean both "house" and "home".
How can I make a distinction between a house and a home in Latin?
For example, I might buy a house but it doesn't feel like ...
3
votes
0answers
35 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 ...
1
vote
0answers
36 views
Romans and Ancient Greek language [duplicate]
Is there evidence in the inscriptions, that Romans have realised, that Hellenic languages are very close to theirs own language!? It seems to be that the distinguish was applied to the Etruscan ...
2
votes
1answer
137 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 ...
4
votes
1answer
79 views
Τέλος vs. πέρας
Meanings of πέρας listed in wiktionary:
end, goal, extremity
All these fall within the scope of τέλος. I would like to understand the nuances of these three meanings (there is no problem with ...
8
votes
1answer
126 views
When/whether to use “ineō” instead of “eō”
I am learning Latin for the first time this year, and I have a question about the usage of the verb 'eō', I go. The textbook that I am using, Henle Latin 1st Year, lists 'eō' as follows:
eō, īre, ...
2
votes
1answer
149 views
Is there any difference between “minime” and “minume”?
Prompted by cnread's answer to another question, I wanted to ask: is there any difference between mĭnĭmē and mĭnŭmē?
The linked L&S entries do not offer any obvious commentary. A quick corpus ...
7
votes
1answer
427 views
Difference between αὐτός and οὗτος
In the sentence οὗτος λέγει ὅτι αὕτη τὸ βιβλίον γράφει translated by "He says that she is writing the book." would the meaning change if οὗτος was substituted by αὐτός thus forming the sentence αὐτός ...
8
votes
2answers
895 views
What is the difference between “lux” and “lumen”?
Latin has two common words for "light": lux and lumen.
What are the differences between these two words? Are there any contexts in which one would be appropriate while the other would not? It would ...
1
vote
1answer
208 views
About the difference between the enclitic “ne” and the non-enclitic “ne”
So, I know that -ne is an enclitic to express a yes/no question.
But, the "Ne", as a non-enclitic, as I understood it, could also be a word question.
In "Ne....annon" or "Ne....necne"
Meaning Is it....
4
votes
2answers
112 views
Difference between Sententia and Opinio?
Could you give some examples of sentences showing the difference between Opinio and Sentencia?
Aren't both good translations for "opinions?"
"Through" and "opinion" seems to be translated by both: ...
3
votes
1answer
138 views
Meanings of cibus, and cibi
The dictionary I use tells me that Cibus, could mean "food", or "meals" or "dishes", and many other related meanings.
So, I find logical, that, when you have the plural, it means rather meals/dishes.
...
4
votes
1answer
51 views
How do you translate “My potions are too strong for you?”
It is really just the "are too strong for you" I am having trouble with. We haven't gone over how to say stuff like that in class yet. Would you use the superlative?
3
votes
1answer
69 views
Are the two types of lustra distinguishable?
One meaning of the word lustrum is a sacrifice for purification done every five years; another is a house of ill repute. I'd always figured that the two were complete homophones.
However, someone ...
5
votes
1answer
106 views
Difference between “senex ”and “senilis”?
What would be the differences in uses of "senilis" and "senex".
I know "senilis" is constructed with senex+illis, it should help me, but I don't get it.
Thank you.
2
votes
1answer
90 views
How was 'fissiparus' mistakenly analogized with 'vīviparus'?
Is the Wiktionary entry on fissiparous below correct? Why's the analogy "mistaken"? The compounding makes sense to me?
Etymology
An adaptation of the New Latin fissiparus, from fissus (“...
2
votes
1answer
864 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? ...
17
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-...
5
votes
2answers
1k 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 ...
6
votes
1answer
199 views
<quality> even for being a <noun>
Salvēte omnēs, hocc erit mihi prīmum rogātum hāc in sēde. Haud dūdum vīdī quendam hominem scīscitārī, quōmodo posset Latīnē dīcī "he has a long tail, even for a cat". Ad quod rogātum cum respondēre ...
5
votes
0answers
80 views
ἤ = vel or ἤ = aut?
LSJ says ἤ is a "disjunctive or", but does it correspond Latin's vel ("inclusive disjunction") or aut ("exclusive cunjunction")?
6
votes
0answers
66 views
παντοκράτωρ - a matter of power or authority?
παντοκράτωρ, pantokrator is generally translated as "almighty," interpreted as a matter of power. I.e. the bible talks about one infinite God, El shaddai. But im curious if we may have been ...
5
votes
1answer
338 views
Comparing 'ita' and 'sic'
Both ita and sic mean roughly "so" or "in such way".
I know they are not identical and I have a relatively good feeling of their respective meanings, but I couldn't quite put my finger on the ...
4
votes
2answers
99 views
Was there any difference between “grātĭa” and “făvor”?
The Lewis & Short dictionary defines gratia as:
grātĭa, ae, f. gratus; lit., favor, both that in which one stands with others and that which one shows to others.
I. Favor which one finds ...
3
votes
2answers
320 views
How to choose correct word variants?
I asked a question earlier.
For some time now, it's occured to me that a pattern is forming: All my questions about the Latin language are basically the same. The subjects change, but the underlying ...
3
votes
1answer
45 views
What is the difference between “return” and “yield”?
In the Python programming language, "yield" and "return" are keywords with specific meanings.
A function can either yield a result (sending that result back and then continuing to work), or return it ...
7
votes
1answer
229 views
Is there a difference between 'pluvia' and 'imber'?
It occurred to me yesterday that I know two Latin words for rain:
pluvia
and
imber.
However, I don't seem to know how these two words compare to each other, and the L&S entries offer little help.
...
10
votes
2answers
591 views
What is the difference between “novi” and “scio”?
Latin has at least two words that straightforwardly translate to English "know":
novi (perf. of nosco)
scio
Plautus combines the two pleonastically:
nec vos qui homines sitis novi nec scio
Here'...
4
votes
0answers
161 views
What is the difference between nego, ignoro, and nescio?
Trying to understand the subtle differences between the three words "nego", "ignoro", and "nescio".
This question is not about the meanings in modern English, but the original meanings of the ...
5
votes
2answers
104 views
What is the difference between ingenitus and innatus?
When discussing things "running in the blood", I suggested the word ingenitus for "innate", while Tom Cotton preferred innatus.
Is there a difference in meaning between these two words? The second ...
4
votes
1answer
375 views
How do extra and ultra compare?
The adverbs (and prepositions) extra and ultra are somewhat similar but not identical.
While I can read the two dictionary entries and get an idea what they mean, I don't feel that I fully grasp how ...
12
votes
2answers
728 views
Does mentula (“penis”) derive from the same root as mens (“mind”), and if so why?
The Latin word mentula isn't properly defined in the Lewis & Short dictionary, but it does show up on Latin-Dictionary.net and Wiktionary. Both those dictionaries define mentula as "penis". But ...
6
votes
1answer
211 views
What was the most common and generic word used in classic Latin that meant “to speak” or “to talk”?
Nowadays in Spanish the verb used for "to speak" or "to talk" is hablar, which comes directly from Latin fābŭlor, meaning:
1 to talk familiarly, to chat, to converse
2 to invent a story, to make ...
12
votes
4answers
2k views
Saints: sanctus or divus?
I was in Bologna last week, and a couple of churches had an inscription about their dedication to a saint.
To my surprise, they used the word divus instead of sanctus.
For example, a church may be ...
3
votes
2answers
375 views
What is the difference between “enim” and “quia”?
Consider the following two phrases:
noli timere: exaudivit enim Deus vocem pueri de loco in quo est (Genesis 21:17b)
et benedicentur in semine tuo omnes gentes terrae, quia obedisti voci meae (...
7
votes
1answer
134 views
-ne as an Indication of Fear in a Question
I was recently taking a sort of multiple choice quiz on just general Latin knowledge, and I came upon one question that threw me for a loop, so to speak. The question asked which of the options best ...
19
votes
6answers
2k views
Was “oscŭlum” a cultured word in Latin?
The Spanish language has two words for kiss:
Beso, from Latin basium.
Ósculo, from Latin oscŭlum.
The second one is very seldom used, and only in literature as it is a cultured word. Nonetheless, it ...
3
votes
1answer
178 views
Pairs like quot/tot and quantum/tantum
There seem to be a lot of pairs of words in Latin where a "question" starts with qu- and the corresponding "answer" by t-.
For example: quot/tot, quantum/tantum, qualis/talis, quotiens/totiens.
The ...
5
votes
2answers
91 views
Comparing the etymologies of the adjective and participle 'latus'
What are the etymologies of the adjective latus ("wide") and the participle latus ("carried")?
I had assumed that they are the same and the participle just started a new life as an adjective after a ...
2
votes
1answer
44 views
How does ancient and modern arbitration differ?
There is a legal thing called arbitration in modern world, and the Romans seem to have had the word arbitratio.
I wonder whether the modern arbitration and the Roman arbitratio (and the related words ...
9
votes
1answer
2k views
Prae- & Ante- (before)
The prefixes prae- and ante- both have the same meaning of 'before' in place or time. Why is the existence of both words necessary?
