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Why doesn't Latin have words for "Yes" and "No"?
I mean, it seems like pretty elementary words that can occur in different type of situations. Why wouldn't they exist ?
copper
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Happy Birthday and the accusative of exclamation
I'd like to say "Happy Birthday [to you]!" in Latin. I see two possibilities in Traupman's Conversational Latin:
Fēlīx nātālis tibi!
Fēlīcem nātālem [tibi exoptō]!
The first is used in Traupman's rendition of the song, "Happy Birthday," so I…
Nathaniel is protesting
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What is the largest online Latin speaking community?
I noticed that many online places where Latin could be spoken are dead (unlike the language itself).
Where can I practice Latin online? Is there any chat or forum that is really active?
user144578
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Why did Medieval Latin use "ad" with the accusative instead of just using the dative?
Part of Documents of Medieval Latin (page 14) states several differences between Classical Latin and Medieval Latin. One is
an increased use of prepositions where Classical Latin used a simple case of the noun, in particular the use of ad and the…
HDE 226868
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Mathematical Latin Help
So, I'm a PhD student working on the history of algebraic number theory and algebraic geometry. To a great extent that involves me having to read copious amounts of text in German and French. Now I'd lying if I claimed fluency in either, but when it…
StormyTeacup
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"Videre" is to "spectare" what "audire" is to...?
I am interested, did Latin have a word meaning specifically "to listen", as opposed to "hear"? Because it did have a word for "look" (spectare), as opposed to "see" (videre).
FlatAssembler
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Both "fēmina" and "mulier" mean "woman": what's the difference?
The word fēmina is used with the meaning "woman":
Of human beings, a female, woman (cf.: uxor, mulier, matrona; conjux, marita)
(Lewis and Short)
(Fēmina also means "female" when talking about non-human beings.)
Mulier also means "woman":
a…
Asteroides
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What is the first text considered Italian instead of Latin?
What is the earliest text that is considered to be written in Italian (or a predecessor thereof), and what distinguishes it from Latin?
I would like to understand the first signs of Latin evolving into Italian.
(Or perhaps rather of Latin and…
Joonas Ilmavirta
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What did the Romans use to close their letters?
As anyone who's written a proper letter knows, one begins with a salutation and ends with a valediction (or, in normal English, opens with "hello" and ends with "goodbye"). Right now, I'm interested in the last half -- the closing. What did Romans…
anon
16
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How did the Romans wish good birthday?
I know how to wish a happy birthday in Latin: Bonum diem natalem!
(There are other options as well.)
It just occurred to me that I do not recall coming across any ancient birthday congratulations.
Do we know how the Romans wished a happy birthday?
I…
Joonas Ilmavirta
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Is there a relationship between the phonology in Old Latin and later Vulgar Latin?
After some reading and research, I can't help but notice many similarities between Old Latin and what would become the Romance Languages. For example, the case endings for the nominative and accusative in the 2nd declension in Old Latin (bonos,…
VivatLinguaLatina
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A Latin adjective for New York?
The city of New York is often called Novum Eboracum in Latin.
Let us ignore other options for the purpose of this question; I just want to understand city names with two or more words through an example.
Many city names have associated adjectives:…
Joonas Ilmavirta
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What's up with 'ubī'?
Just noticed, with respect to this question about 'which' and the five 'wh-' question words, that there's kind of a similar but reverse sort of situation in Latin.
It looks like of all the corresponding question words in Latin, they are all 'qu-'…
Mitch
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Why are Greek nouns in -ον, -ος transliterated in Latin as -um, -us?
Although there are numerous conventions that appear to be followed when borrowing words from Greek to English, an especially noticeable one is the change made to the endings of 2nd declension nouns, whereby -ον, -ος becomes -um, -us. Two examples…
brianpck
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Is there any Latin in the Bible?
It is my understanding that the original text of the Bible is mostly in Hebrew and Greek. There are a few quotes from other languages, like “Mene mene tekel …” (language seems to be unclear) or Jesus's “Eli, Eli, lama sabachtani” (Aramaic). But…
Sebastian Koppehel
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