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What's the difference between fessus and defessus?
I'm curious to know what the difference is between fessus and defessus. Is de- simply acting as an intensifying prefix? Suppose I were tired at the end of night, and wanted to go to sleep. Would I say sum defessus or sum fessus? Or suppose an…
ktm5124
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Does the Latin word for "garden" (hortus) also mean "vagina"?
Dr. Alexander Kohut in Arukh Completum (vol. 2 p. 314) claims that the Latin word hortus (and its Greek etymon), which means "garden" also refers to a woman's private parts (I'm assuming the vagina). The context in which he says this is rabbinic…
Reb Chaim HaQoton
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Is Latin qui a descendant or predecessor of Persian که (kë)?
Backstory:
There is French "qui", whose use is alligned with Turkish "ki". As a Turk, I guessed we might have imported the word. It had been resting at the back of my mind for quite some years now.
It turns out Turkish imported the word from Persian…
cbugk
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11
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What does "Hæc igitur illico non ingratanter Christianis patuit" mean?
I came across this phrase in Historia Hierosolymitana by Baldricus Dolensis (c. 1050–1130): What does these two sentences mean? I would appreciate any help.
Hæc igitur illico non ingratanter Christianis patuit.
and:
Quippe ibi nullus, etiam…
turuncu
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Indeclinables: What are the strategies good Latinists use to deal with them?
I have read that the modern tendency is to translate a modern person's personal name into Latin but not his surname. So John Doe would be translated as Ioannes Doe. This seems sensible at face value, for people to understand who you are talking…
Victor BC
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11
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How to work around the missing cases of vis?
The word vis does not have singular genitive and dative forms.
This makes it difficult to use vis.
(I was reminded of this difficulty by this Star Wars question.)
Can you suggest methods of working around the missing forms of vis when writing…
Joonas Ilmavirta
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11
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How to translate "the Force" from Star Wars?
In Star Wars movies — and other media — there is an important concept called the Force.
It is a magical energy field surrounding everything and giving special abilities for those who master its use.
(I assume many already know what it is, and I hope…
Joonas Ilmavirta
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Can a supine verb have arguments?
Consider the following line from the Aeneid, Book VI:
nec credere quivi hunc tantum tibi me discessu ferre dolorem.
Context: Aeneas has traveled into the underworld, and bumps into Dido, who he infers has committed suicide because of his…
user1002
11
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How do we know that Kalendae is the first day of a month?
I have been told that Kalendae is the first day of a month.
However, the Latin dates — which was discussed in this other question — alone do not make this obvious.
Dates are expressed by comparison to three special days every month: Kalendae, Nonae,…
Joonas Ilmavirta
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11
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Jenney's First Year Latin, Lesson 37, comparatives with "quam"
I'd like some clarification on which cases are appropriate during the use of the word "quam" with comparatives. I'm teaching Jenney's First-Year Latin (1990).
In Lesson 37 (page 426 of the 1990 edition), the book tries to explain the use of the…
BrennickC
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11
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Why is there no predicate in "in vino veritas"?
The latin aphorism, penned by Alcaeus of Mytilene,
in vino veritas
does not contain any predicate. I assume that esse is implied but I haven't come across any other aphorisms leaving out verbs.
Is it ok to leave out the verb esse if it is…
technical_difficulty
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11
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What's the difference between aster, stella, sidus and astrum in Latin?
aster, stella, sidus and astrum are are all nearly means or related to stars. But are there any key differences between these words ?
imdevskp
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Do different truncation signs have different connotations?
I'm continuing reading Cappelli's The elements of abbreviation in medieval Latin paleography, and early on he discusses medieval truncation signs. There are three types used:
An interpunct (first sign), which was not used much in medieval…
HDE 226868
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Traditional English pronunciation of "dives"?
In the traditional English pronunciation of Latin—the one that gave us Caesar /siːzɚ/, Jupiter /dʒuːpɪtɚ/, epitome /əpɪtəmiː/, felix /fiːlɪks/, and virus /vaɪɹəs/—what should be the pronunciation of dives?
Context: J. R. R. Tolkien, English…
Tim Pederick
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Help Translating Text Found On Oil Painting
Need help in translating this text found on an oil painting. I believe it's medieval Latin but not sure if Christophorus and Lafranchini is the first and last name or two different people. Any help is appreciated.
John B
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