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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 these adjectives, when standing alone, can only…
Unbrutal_Russian
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Main clauses from minimal pairs

In Latin it is possible to create sentences from two identical words (homonym or homogram), or two minimal pairs. Puro puro, I ritually purify with a bonfire. Ēquus ĕquus, The horse is steady (aequus, even, steady, becomes medieval ēquus) The…
Hugh
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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 languages) tend to have a specifically sexual meaning: a…
Draconis
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Why do numbered months in the ancient Roman calendar have different suffixes?

Wikipedia and other sites detail the (possibly legendary) ancient Roman "Calendar of Romulus": I'm curious about the suffixes to the "numbered" months, the fifth through tenth. The names of the fifth and sixth months (the ones that were later…
Daniel R. Collins
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Interlinear texts for reading fluency in Latin

I would be interested in people's considered opinions of the utility of interlinear texts* in learning to read Latin (or any other language)? Do they help or hinder? Are they a pedagogical resource or are they merely a crutch? My question was…
Penelope
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What is the superlative of ipse?

In later Latin, as ipse started to lose its force, Petronius uses ipsimus for emphasis: Tamen ad delicias ipsimi [domini] annos quattuordecim fui. Nec turpe est, quod dominus iubet. Ego tamen et ipsimae [dominae] satis faciebam. Scitis, quid dicam:…
Draconis
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Are there minimal pairs between the acute and circumflex accent?

Ancient Greek had two (*) different types of accent on long vowels: the "circumflex" accent indicates high tone on the first mora, and the "acute" accent indicates high tone on the second. (Short vowels only have one mora, so they don't have this…
Draconis
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What do three diagonal dots above a letter mean in the "Misal rico de Cisneros" (Spain, 1518)?

I can't seem to find this in any books about medieval scribal abbreviations. Manuscript: http://bdh-rd.bne.es/viewer.vm?id=12826&page=246 page 223/1613 They can be found all throughout the manuscript. As stated in my other question, I've been…
Fredrick Brennan
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Tantum religio potuit suadere malorum – Lucretius

I saw this quote in someone's forum sig file (signature): "Tantum religio potuit suadere malorum." - Lucretius Curious, I consulted Google Translate, which my professional translator brother cautions against. I think he knows of what he speaks, as…
Mark D Worthen PsyD
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How to write a sentence with two genitives describing one noun

I would like to translate the following sentence into Latin. Minerva is the goddess of wisdom and of wool. My first guess would be, Minerva est dea sapientiae et lanae. But I'm not sure whether this is the correct syntax. Is the use of two…
ktm5124
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Etymology of 'calcit(r)are'?

While interested in the etymology of 'recalcitrant', most sources, namely OED, M-W, etymonline) give something like the following: 1823, from French récalcitrant, literally "kicking back" (17c.-18c.), past participle of recalcitrare "to kick back;…
Mitch
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When to use the Greek accusative?

The Greek accusative or the accusative of respect (accusativus Graecus or accusativus respectus) is used like the ablative of respect (ablativus respectus). This construction is a loan from Greek, where there is no ablative and respect is expressed…
Joonas Ilmavirta
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Accusativus 'Graecus' pertinetne ullo modo ad accusativum temporis?

Confer exempla haec: Vinctus pedes senator fugere non potuit. Augustus multos annos regnans rem publicam sibi subiecit. Accusativus Graecus a Graecis esse dicitur. Discentes linguam Graecam accusativum similem quidem invenimus, cui nomen…
Cerberus
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A Latin text with dependency tree

I am looking for a Latin text that has word by word English translation and explanation. I mean after the translation, it explains that this word has ablative case and that has nominative or this verb has perfect tense and that has imperfect and all…
Ali Nikzad
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Rhyming in Classical Latin Poetry

There are many Ecclesiastical Latin hymns that incorporate a rhyming scheme that sounds very satisfying to an English ear. One common example: Tantum ergo sacramentum veneremur cernui et antiquum documentum novo cedat ritui praestet fides…
brianpck
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