Hello, good day. I am wondering if, in Postclassical Latin, there was a verb mātrīculō, meaning "to register"/"to inscribe one's name in a register", which was derived from the Late Latin noun mātrīcula, "list"/"register" (itself from Classical Latin mātrīx (“list, register”...a secondary meaning) +‎ -ulus (diminutive suffix)). Does anybody know of any attestation of this verb within the Late Latin or Medieval Latin corpora? If so, then please forward that ..read more

Hello everybody! I'm trying to get a correct translation of: placet harmoniam oculis subjicere. The phrase is from Leibniz, but I don't have the source text. My attempt is: I like to put harmony before the eye. Is that correct? I look forward to your replies ..read more

Hello everyone, I was wondering about the phrase per linearum ductum in the following phrase from Leibniz's unpublished works. Ut lingua philosophica exprimi posset per numeros seu Arithmeticam, ita scriptura philosophica posset etiam exhiberi per linearum ductum seu geometriam... I saw a translation that rendered per linearum ductum as "by drawing lines", but I'm uncertain about going with this since ductum doesn't seem to mean "drawing". What say you all... Read more ..read more

Hi I know it is macarronic Latin but I still think this is the right forum. The verses are: Baldus in his factis nimium stigatur ad arma, sed tantum quod sit picolettus corpore tristat. Source: Baldus, Third Book, by Theophilus Folengo How is to be understood and translated "stigatur ad arma"? Is the following right? Baldus is excessively inclined towards weapons in these deeds,but only because he is saddened by his small stature Thanks in advance ..read more

Salvete, amici omnes! I am a bit confused by the grammar of the following (part of a) sentence: "magni interesse arbitrabatur eius auctoritatem inter suos quam plurimum valere" [De Bello Gallico 5.4.3] This seems to correspond to the following in the English translation: "[He] judged that it was of great importance that the influence of one ... should prevail as much as possible among his people." For the sake of easier analysis and to check if I am getting it right, let me... Read more ..read more

Salvete, friends, I'd like your help to translate into proper Latin these hellenistic expressions, φίλος γυναικός​ φίλη ἀνδρός it's supposed to mean "lover of a woman" and "lover of a man", respectively, in the erotic sense, but with the gender inflections. I know the Latin poets often used amica in this sense, but amicus doesn't carry that same implication. Would something like mulier amans viri be acceptable ..read more

I have found a christening record for which, rather than writing the parents names, three words were written that look like Latin to me. The middle word looks somewhat like 'abdormint'. I have attached an image. 1. Does anyone know what the middle word is? 2. What does this phrase mean? The child was one year old, and died the following day, so I'm guessing the baptism was done in haste. Thanks ..read more

ncipit prologus de duabus civilitatibus historiae AD mcxliii conscript saepe multumque volvendo mecum de rerum temporalium motu ancipitq Click to expand... Hello, everyone. This Latin text is from Baudolino novel by Umberto Eco. I don't know anything in Latin. In this scene of the novel, Baudolino--the protagonist in the story-- stole some papers from the Bishop's cabinet. These papers belong to the Imperial Chancellor. Baudolino wanted these paper to write his own diary; he... Read more ..read more

In Classic Latin, multiplications are expressed by the construction numeral adverb + distributive. In examples I see in grammar books, adverbs always come first. E.g. (Latin for Addicts): 2 x 2 = bis bīna 3 x 7 = ter septēna I wonder if the distributives can come before the adverbs ..read more

I wish to be excused if my presumption about the (grammatical) terms in the title of the thread being Latin is mistaken. They are given with reference to Sanskrit grammar. If they are indeed Latin, what do they mean? Thanks ..read more