Most Popular
1500 questions
10
votes
2 answers
Is there a plural of Jesus in Latin?
The name Iesus has peculiar declension in Latin.
The declension of this word in every source that I have seen only gives singular forms.
However, I can imagine situations where a plural is needed: a story might include several Jesuses.
I have hard…
Joonas Ilmavirta
- 113,294
- 21
- 192
- 587
10
votes
8 answers
What is the Latin joke here?
The other day I watched Evil under the sun, a film about Agatha Christie's homonymous novel, where the following lines were said:
Patrick Redfern: It's funny to think, if Giuseppe Verdi had been an Englishman, his name would have been Joe…
luchonacho
- 12,354
- 5
- 34
- 100
10
votes
1 answer
Pun on Leibniz quote
Can anyone help me out with the two Latin sentences in the quote below ? After googling and looking up a dictionary I was only able to come up with something like, "It is unncessary to employ many people for that which you can achieve by employing…
New User
- 103
- 3
10
votes
1 answer
Is there an aoristic-perfective distinction in the Latin perfect?
I have just recently learned that the perfect tense in Latin can serve also as an aorist tense as well as a perfect tense and that the perfect tense in Latin is simply the result of the original Proto-Indo-European aorist and perfective aspect…
Ethan Bierlein
- 2,571
- 11
- 25
10
votes
4 answers
What is the most thorough description of Hades from Greek or Latin sources?
I was having a conversation with Joonas where we were pondering a three-headed Cerberus with three pairs of sunglasses. I joked that the sunglasses would protect him from the UV rays in Hades, which are stronger than the UV rays up here on earth.…
ktm5124
- 12,014
- 5
- 35
- 74
10
votes
1 answer
What does the Latin place name 'Rezii' refer to?
I came across a book published in 1753 with the publisher location listed as 'Rezii'. I cannot find any reference to this name online. Here is a link to the book information.
The only libraries that have the book are located in Slovenia so maybe it…
terminex9
- 397
- 2
- 6
10
votes
4 answers
How to translate "sexy"?
How would one translate “sexy” into Latin? In particular, I’m looking for a word or phrase that has a similar “slangy” feel to the English version.
I’ve considered a few possibilities: Catullus 10 lead me to the word invenustum, and thus to venustus…
Slade
- 345
- 1
- 8
10
votes
2 answers
What is meant by the expression 'Sic Transit Gloria Mundi'?
The phrase is used when in the ceremony of assigning a new pope, and can be interpreted in many ways.
A translation would be: "So pass the worldly glories."
How would you interpret its meaning, think of its context being used in religion and,…
Newman
- 211
- 1
- 2
- 6
10
votes
2 answers
Vowel length in future perfect indicative and perfect conjunctive
I want to compare future perfect active indicative and perfect active conjunctive.
They look identical, apart from first person singular (cogitavero ≠ cogitaverim).
But is there a difference in the length of the last -i-?
It has to be short in third…
Joonas Ilmavirta
- 113,294
- 21
- 192
- 587
10
votes
1 answer
Dictionary for New Latin words
Is there an online dictionary that contains many New Latin words with macrons?
I know there is already a post about dictionaries:
Which online Latin dictionaries should I use and why?
However, the dictionaries mentioned there sometimes don't have a…
Alfie González
- 1,137
- 6
- 11
10
votes
2 answers
Was Classical Latin syntax complex on purpose?
Whenever I see Classical texts, the syntax of almost every sentence is really complex. On the other hand, medieval or Renaissance texts seem to have a word order that is more similar to modern Romance languages. How could people of Ancient Rome read…
Alfie González
- 1,137
- 6
- 11
10
votes
3 answers
Is translating texts from Latin really necessary to learn the language?
I know that translating texts from Latin is the traditional way to learn the language (and for many people the main goal), but I think that being able to translate a piece of text, however complicated it is, does not necessarily mean that one may…
Alfie González
- 1,137
- 6
- 11
10
votes
2 answers
What is "gullible" in Latin?
Did you know that Lewis and Short's dictionary doesn't contain the word "gullible"?
That is an appropriate question for the first of April, but it turns out that I indeed found no trace of that word.
Perhaps I'm missing English synonyms for someone…
Joonas Ilmavirta
- 113,294
- 21
- 192
- 587
10
votes
1 answer
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?
andersj
- 101
- 1
- 6
10
votes
3 answers
Why σελήνη instead of ἑλήνη?
The Greek word for the moon is σελήνη selēnē, σελᾱνᾱ selānā, or σελάννᾱ selánnā, depending on dialect. All seem to come transparently from the same root as σέλας sélas, "shine".
But since these both appear to be native words (hence the varying…
Draconis
- 66,625
- 6
- 117
- 269