M. Porcius Cato Posted February 22, 2006 Report Share Posted February 22, 2006 Most languages have words denoting concepts that exist in the minds of nearly all speakers but not in all their languages. For example, I'm sure you've thought of the poor mothers of the world whose children have died prematurely. In English, there is a word for people whose parents have died (i.e., orphans) but not a word for people whose children have died. This might be tough, but can anyone think of some nice Latin words that perfectly express a concept you have but for which there is not even an approximate synonym in English? I'm not talking, btw, about words for things that don't exist any more (when was the last time you saw somebody carrying a pilum?) or words for concepts that are awfully close but not exactly the same (e..g, auctoritas isn't QUITE the same as authority, but it's pretty darned close). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Q Valerius Scerio Posted February 22, 2006 Report Share Posted February 22, 2006 deligo v. amo and of course the Greek counterparts: stergo, agapao, phileo, and eros avunculus - maternal uncle patruus - paternal uncle famulus - the "family" of slaves a person owned Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lucius Calpurnius Capitolinus Posted February 22, 2006 Report Share Posted February 22, 2006 bumastus - an adjective meaning "having large grapes" One wonders how many different ways this was used... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FLavius Valerius Constantinus Posted February 23, 2006 Report Share Posted February 23, 2006 Not sure if any of these would fall into category, but they seem interesting: sorbitiuncula - small draught/does; posset; portion of food (pretty awkward uses of meanings) caleo, calere, calui, ______ - be kept warm; be hot with passion... sugrundarium - baby grave cunaria - female babysitter( attendant for infants) cunarius - male babysitter( attendant for infants) argentum vivum - quicksilver/mercury prino - holm oak; great scarlet oak; everygreen oak chelium - shell of a horned tortoise pero - thick boot of raw hide there is alot more, but then I'm not too sure some of these even mean what they are. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M. Porcius Cato Posted February 23, 2006 Author Report Share Posted February 23, 2006 sugrundarium - baby grave This is a good one. cunaria - female babysitter( attendant for infants)cunarius - male babysitter( attendant for infants) Sort of cheating isn't it? We drop gender much more than they did. prino - holm oak; great scarlet oak; everygreen oak Ah, yes--the lost wisdom of ethnobotany revealed in a lost language. Someone ought to write a book about that... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew Dalby Posted February 26, 2006 Report Share Posted February 26, 2006 famulus - the "family" of slaves a person owned familia -- the family, including the slaves Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Castor Posted April 2, 2006 Report Share Posted April 2, 2006 Subdomo, subdomare- to tame somewhat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew Dalby Posted April 2, 2006 Report Share Posted April 2, 2006 Subdomo, subdomare- to tame somewhat Very useful word. It defines how far women have got in their attempt to civilize men (so far). As for how far men have got in the other direction: what's the Latin for 'nowhere'? Andrew Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FLavius Valerius Constantinus Posted April 2, 2006 Report Share Posted April 2, 2006 (edited) Nusquam or Nullibi There is also corus - north-west wind morus- black mulberry tree Edited April 2, 2006 by FLavius Valerius Constantinus Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sullafelix Posted April 10, 2006 Report Share Posted April 10, 2006 famulus - the "family" of slaves a person owned familia -- the family, including the slaves Many mothers would say to that - yeah? so what's the difference! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pantagathus Posted April 10, 2006 Report Share Posted April 10, 2006 Cohibeo as I understand it, summed up the repression or taming of emotion, particularly grief. I think its a much more particular term than 'composure' Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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