Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Verbum Hodiernum: PONO
Today's word is the verb PONO (ponere, posui, positum), meaning "put" or "place." We get a lot of words from both the present stem of this verb and also from the perfect stem, especially in their compounded forms. From the present stem pon- there are English words such as "postpone," "opponent," "exponent," "expound," etc. From the perfect stem pos- there are English words such as "position," "posture," "pose," "positive," and compounded forms such as "impose," "suppose," "preposition," "deposit," etc.
Here are some examples of today's word in Latin sayings and proverbs:
Pone irae frena modumque.
Modum nescit ponere voluptas.
Qui laqueum alii ponit, peribit in illo.
Sero seram ponis stabulo post furta latronis.
Pone gulae metas; erit tibi longa aetas.
In morte alterius spem tu tibi ponere noli.
In alieno choro pedem ne ponas.
Non habet ubi pedem ponat.
Rebus novis nova ponenda nomina.
Virtutes in medio sunt positae.
In virtute posita est vera felicitas.
Praemia nobis posita sunt post laborem.
Crambe bis posita mors.
Malum bene positum ne moveas.
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Sunday, May 29, 2011
Verbum Hodiernum: VENIO
Today's word is the verb VENIO, meaning "come." You can see the Latin word used in the English legal expression "venire" (an abbreviation for venire facias). Via French, we also get the word "venue," which originally meant a place where the military was coming to attack, but which now refers more generally to where people come for a sporting event or some other entertainment.
The word "avenue" reaches us the same way via French, ultimately from the Latin compound advenire, and likewise "revenue" from revenire. There are all kinds of words that come from venire in its compounded forms: "convene," "contravene," "intervene," for example, and also "circumvention," "invention," "prevention," "subvention." The word "souvenir" is yet another example - it ultimately comes from Latin subvenire, "come to mind."
Here are some examples of today's word in Latin sayings and proverbs; for more information, see the page at the Scala Sapientiae, which contains notes on some of the proverbs cited below, as well as additional proverbs:
Veni, vidi, vici.
Ad maiora veniamus.
Nox tibi longa venit nec reditura dies.
Multi ad fatum venere suum, dum fata timent.
Tarde venientes, male sedentes.
Citius venit periclum cum contemnitur.
Metus cum venit, rarum habet somnus locum.
Hoc sustinete, maius ne veniat malum.
Certandum est: nulli veniunt sine Marte triumphi.
Ad magna praemia magno labore venitur.
Propera, nec venturas differ in horas.
Hora ruit; venit mors.
Nondum venit hora mea.
Non semper aestas erit: venit hiems.
Insta, ne cesses; venient post semina messes.
Quamvis tarda venit, sors sua quemque ferit.
Quando venit potus, cessat sermo quasi totus.
Sera tamen tacitis poena venit pedibus.
Praestat sero quam non venire.
Sero venientes, male sedentes.
Friday, May 27, 2011
Verbum Hodiernum: MENS
Today's word is the noun MENS (gen. mentis) which is of course familiar from English words like "mental" and also from compound forms like "demented." You can also sometimes see the Latin phrase compos mentis used in English writing.
In Latin, mens was personified as the goddess Mens who had her holiday on June 7. Both the Latin word mens and the English word "mind" go back to an Indo-European root *men- having to do with the realms of mind and memory.
You can also see the Latin word mens at work in the adverbial forms of the later Romance languages, such as Italian -mente - e.g. perfettamente, semplicemente, honestamente, etc. (while in English we use the suffix - ly to create equivalent adverbs: "perfectly," "simply," "honestly," etc.). You can actually see that usage emerging already in Latin as in this phrase from Catullus: Obstinata mente perfer.
Here are some examples of today's word in Latin sayings and proverbs:
Mens peregrina est.
Mens aequa in arduis.
Mens invicta manet.
Amor mentes nectit.
Scientia sol mentis.
Obcaecat mentem passio.
Mens vertitur cum fortuna.
Mala mens, malus animus.
Mala mens, suavissima verba.
Ne vincat inertia mentes.
Speculum mentis est facies.
Ebrietas est speculum mentis.
Mens sana, in corpore sano.
Terra corpus est, at mens ignis est.
Tria perpetim agunt: sol, ignis, mens.
Summa est velocitas mentis.
Mentis acies nonnumquam hebescit.
Ut visus in oculis, ita mens in anima.
Hominis mens discendo alitur.
Mens alitur discendo et cogitando.
Pars nostri melior mens est.
Aliud cupido, mens aliud suadet.
Musica mentis medicina maestae.
Lingua mentem ne praecurrat.
Lingua non discrepat a mente.
Mens hominum ignara, caeca futuri.
Cute sub agnina latet mens saepe lupina.
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Wednesday, May 25, 2011
Verbum Hodiernum: O
Today's word is the exclamatory particle O. In English, this is sometimes spelled "O" and sometimes "Oh" - but in Latin it is just spelled O. The Latin exclamation can be used with the vocative in direct address (when the speaker is actually calling out to a real or imagined interlocutor) or it can be used with an accusative (the so-called "accusative of exclamation"). For an example of the accusative of exclamation, consider the phrase - O tempora, O mores! The speaker is not calling out to the times or the customs, but is rather exclaiming, dolefully, about them. You can also find O used with the nominative or the genitive.
Here are some examples of today's word in Latin sayings and proverbs:
O tempora! O mores!
O dii immortales!
O me felicem!
O te beatum!
O feros animos!
O durum iter!
O saevum scelus!
O sortem acerbam!
O amoris vim!
O hominem nequam!
O mentes amentes!
O fallacem hominum spem!
O praeclaram sapientiam!
O praeclarum custodem ovium lupum!
O nomen dulce libertatis!
O semper timidum scelus!
O quantum cogit egestas!
O quanta fuit tua stultitia!
O quam cito transit gloria mundi!
O quam varia sunt hominum studia!
O si sic omnia!
Abi ad formicam, o piger!
O Cupido , quantus es!
O crux, ave, spes unica!
Salvum fac regem, o Domine!
Ave aurora! Salve, O aurora!
O rus, quando ego te aspiciam?
O solitudo, sola beatitudo!
O mors , cur mihi sera venis?
O Iuppiter, ubinam est fides?
O summe parens mundi, Neptune!
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Monday, May 23, 2011
Verbum Hodiernum: ANIMAL
Today's word is ANIMAL, which is a neuter third-declension noun, gen. animalis. It is an i-stem noun, so the genitive plural is animalium.
Latin meaning and usage: The basic idea is that of something that is "animal," or something that is "animate," as opposed to inanimate things, which are not living creatures.
Latin word formation: The word is derived from Latin anima, the "spirit" or "breath of life." You can also sometimes find the word animans (plural animantia) also used to refer to animals as animate being, living creatures.
English cognates and derivatives: First and foremost, the Latin word animal is the origin of our word "animal" in English also.
Homo divinum animal.
Omne animal se ipsum diligit.
Cetera animalia terram spectant, homo solus caelum intuetur.
Libertas natura etiam mutis animalibus data.
Minimum animal pulex, saltu maximum superat elephantem.
Homo animal bipes implume.
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Saturday, May 21, 2011
Verbum Hodiernum: ORIOR
Today's word is the fourth-conjugation deponent verb, ORIOR, with the infinitive oriri. The present participle is oriens, and the perfect participle is ortus. The verb means to "rise, come forth, be visible." Note that since this verb has the middle voice only, the present participle means "rising, coming forth" while the perfect participle means "that which has risen, that which has come forth." The word is used especially used of the sun's rising, which is how we got our English words "Orient" and "Oriental," meaning the "east," the land where the sun rises. The Latin fourth-declension noun formed from this verb, ortus (genitive ortūs) means "rising" or, more generally, "a beginning."
Here are some examples of today's word in Latin sayings and proverbs:
Aetas alia ex alia oritur.
Alia ex aliis mala oriuntur.
Ius ex iniuria non oritur.
Ex bono nomine bona oritur praesumptio.
Post hominum cineres oritur clarissima fama.
Cum sol oritur, stellae fugiunt.
Cum sol oritur, omnibus oritur.
Cum sol oritur, cunctis oritur.
Et sceleratis sol oritur.
Vix orimur et occidimus.
Superbia oriente, occidit felicitas.
Plures orientem solem adorant.
Ex oriente lux.
Ex oriente lux, ex occidente lex.
Ex natura ortum est ius.
Invidia ex opulentia orta est.
Orta omnia cadunt.
Orta omnia intereunt.
Quaelibet orta cadet , et finem coepta videbunt.
Nihil quod ortum sit , aeternum esse potest.
Omnia orta occidunt , virtus una immortalis est.
Omnia orta occidunt et aucta senescunt.
A casu describe diem , non solis ab ortu.
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Thursday, May 19, 2011
Verbum Hodiernum: QUISQUAM
Today's word is the sneaky pronoun QUISQUAM, which is one of those compound pronouns where the first part - quis - declines, while the second part does not change, resulting in forms like quisquam, cuiquam, quibusquam and so on. For the neuter singular, you can find both quidquam and quicquam.
While it's easy to render this pronoun in English as "anybody, somebody," the problem is that there is a whole range of indefinite pronouns in Latin that end up being translated the same way - including some other compound pronouns such as quidam, quilibet, quivis, quispiam and aliquis, as well as the adjective ullus. Quite a range of words! The best way to learn about their usage in Latin is just by observing each word carefully in context as you read.
Here are some examples of today's word in Latin sayings and proverbs to help you get familiar with some uses of quisquam:
Nec miser quisquam, qui bene vixit, obit.
Desinat elatis quisquam confidere rebus.
Nec ignorans nec invitus quisquam donat.
Nec quisquam ex amoris vulnere sanus abit.
Melius est quidquam possideri quam nihil.
Cave ne quicquam aspere loquaris.
Ne quidquam incipias, quod paeniteat, cave.
Nec metuam quidquam et cavebo omnia.
Tardo amico nihil est quidquam iniquius.
An est quidquam similius insaniae quam ira?
Iustitia numquam nocet cuiquam.
Peccare bis bello cuiquam non licet.
Ubi non licet tacere, quid cuiquam licet?
Neque dedi neque do fidem infideli cuiquam.
Non metuo nec ego cuiquam supplico.
Quod vis taceri, cave ne cuiquam dixeris.
Nemo se ipso diligit quemquam magis.
Quemquam amabit, qui ipse semet oderit?
Si quemquam verbo laedis, laederis et ipse.
Nemo ire quemquam publica prohibet via.
Ante mortem ne laudes hominem quemquam.
Vivere de vento quemquam non posse memento.
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Verbum Hodiernum: VIA
Today's word is VIA, which literally means a road or path or way, and which is also used metaphorically to mean the "way" something is done, just as we do in English. In English, we even use the Latin word "via" to mean the way you get somewhere, e.g., "to fly to Austin via Dallas," which is what I did last week! You can also see this Latin root in other English words like "viaduct" and "viaticum." You can also see the root, compounded, in words like "deviate" and "obviate."
Finally, there is also the word "trivia," meaning "three ways" or "crossroads," which we now use in English with its metaphorical connotations, a meaning already associated with the word trivialis in Latin.
Here are some examples of today's word in Latin sayings and proverbs; for more information, see the page at the Scala Sapientiae, which contains notes on some of the proverbs cited below, as well as additional proverbs:
Fit via vi.
Fata viam invenient.
Omnes viae ad Romam ferunt.
Mediam viam elige.
Elige viam optimam.
Longa via est: propera.
Via tuta virtus.
Via antiqua via est tuta.
Sto super vias antiquas.
Non est ad astra mollis e terris via.
Ferro via facienda est.
Omnes viae ad unam viam tendunt.
Cum audace non eas in via.
Via stulti recta in oculis eius.
Via, veritas, vita.
Veritatis una vis, una facies est.
Ad virtutem una ardua via est.
Ardua prima via est.
Ardua ad gloriam via.
Sunday, May 15, 2011
Verbum Hodiernum: FERUS
Today's word is the adjective FERUS, meaning "wild," especially in the sense of a wild or untamed animal. The adjective can also apply to other things that are wild or untamed, anything that is savage or inhuman. The feminine form fera is commonly used to refer specifically to a wild animal.
This is a productive Latin root, and shows up in other Latin words such as ferox and ferocia. From this Latin root, we get the English words "fierce" and "ferocious." We also use the term "feral" to refer to untamed animals, such as feral cats or feral dogs.
Here are some examples of today's word in Latin sayings and proverbs; for more information, see the page at the Scala Sapientiae for this word:
Non leo tam ferus est quam picta leonis imago.
Nemo adeo ferus est, ut non mansuescere possit.
Graecia capta ferum victorem cepit.
Belua fera est avaritia.
Exuto homine in feram transit.
Invidia fera est domestica.
Fera feram novit.
Officia etiam ferae sentiunt.
Humana sub cute plurimae latent ferae.
Non est in silva peior fera quam mala lingua.
Fera quaevis in sua silva superbit.
Friday, May 13, 2011
Verbum Hodiernum: SIC
Today's word is the adverb SIC, which means "so, thus, in this way." The word sic is often used together with the word ut, and you can sometimes find them combined into a single word: sicut. There are many idiomatic uses of this Latin word, which you can find in the lengthy Lewis & Short Dictionary entry.
You will sometimes see the word [sic] in brackets used in English to indicate that something is being quoted or transcribed exactly as spoken or written, without any correction. You can read more about this English usage in this Wikipedia article.
Here are some examples of today's word in Latin sayings and proverbs:
Sic semper tyrannis.
Sic dii voluerunt.
Sic voluere Parcae.
Sic visum superis.
Sic erat in fatis.
Sic erat in principio.
Sic me iuvet Deus.
Sic itur ad astra.
Sic transit gloria mundi.
Sic age ne timeas.
Alteri sic tibi.
Fac aliis sicut tibi.
Sicut fecisti, fiet tibi.
Sic prodesto amico, ne tibi noceas.
Cras do, non hodie: sic nego cotidie.
Prospera sic maneat vobis fortuna.
Humana cuncta sic vana.
Sic vos non vobis fertis aratra, boves.
O si sic omnia!
Sic fac omnia, tamquam spectet aliquis.
Consultato diu, melius sic omnia cedunt.
Ita populus, sic sacerdos.
Ut populus, sic sacerdos.
Sicut populus, sic sacerdos.
Sicut mater, ita et filia eius.
Sicut patribus, sit Deus nobis.
Sicut lilium inter spinas.
Sicut oves in medio luporum.
Sicut ovis ad occisionem ducetur.
Stultus sicut luna mutatur.
Sicut vita, finis ita.
Sicut feci, ita reddidit mihi Deus.
Sicut umbra dies nostri.
Dies mei sicut umbra declinaverunt.
Ut hora sic dies nostri super terram.
Defecerunt sicut fumus dies mei.
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Friday, May 6, 2011
Verbum Hodiernum: FIO
Today's word is the verb FIO, which means "to be made" or "become." The verb is highly irregular; you can see a complete conjugation online here. It is used as the passive form of the verb facere, as you can see from the parts of fio: fio, fieri, factus sum.
The subjunctive form fiat has become an English word, "fiat" - and this form is also famous in the God's words from Genesis: Fiat lux.
Here are some examples of today's word in Latin sayings and proverbs; for more information, see the page at the Scala Sapientiae, which contains notes on some of the proverbs cited below, as well as additional proverbs:
Nihil fit sine causa.
Nihil in terra sine causa fit.
Omnia causa fiunt.
Bonum ex malo non fit.
Quod tibi vis fieri, hoc fac alteri.
Fit via vi.
Sicut fecisti, fiet tibi.
Ex malis moribus fiunt bonae leges.
Omnia fato fiunt.
Non facias malum, ut inde fiat bonum.
Nemo primo quoque die fit doctus.
Fiat lux!
Vita beatior non fit, si longior.
Quidquid fit cum virtute, fit cum gloria.
Nolite fieri servi hominum.
Omnia casu fiunt.
Semper discendo plurima fio senex.
Brevis ipsa vita est, sed malis fit longior.
Gratia namque cum fieri properat, gratia grata magis.
Cito fit quod di volunt.
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
Verbum Hodiernum: SOLEO
Today's word is the verb SOLEO, which means "to be accustomed to, in the habit of," with a complementary infinitive. The participle, solitum, means "that which is customary, the usual thing." Note that the perfect passive, solitum est, is usually substituted for the perfect active.
In English, we get a few words from this Latin root, such as "insolent," which takes its meaning from something that is unusual or immoderate, and ultimately takes on the purely negative connotation of immoderate behavior or arrogance. Another English word from this root is "obsolete," something that has fallen out of use.
Here are some examples of today's word in Latin sayings and proverbs:
Cum mercede labor gratior esse solet.
Rara esse nimis res pretiosa solet.
Non solet esse incruenta victoria.
Saepe solet similis filius esse patri.
Spes fallere saepe solet.
Mater timidi flere non solet.
Redire saepe fraus in auctorem solet.
Solet aliud sentire, aliud loqui.
Legem solet oblivisci iracundia.
Arcus tensus rumpi solet.
Nimium tendendo rumpi funiculus solet.
Iteranti culpam venia dari non solet.
Servari haud una navis ancora solet.
Turbari sine ventis non solet aequor.
Posteriora solent esse deteriora.
Victi silere solent , canere victores.
Pictor poetaque esse liberi solent.
Praevisa minus tela nocere solent.
Similes similibus coniungi solent.
Saepe potestatem solita est superare voluntas.
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Monday, May 2, 2011
Verbum Hodiernum: TUNC
Today's word is the adverb TUNC. This is the demonstrative tum ("then") with the emphatic suffix -c(e) at the end, hence tunc.
Here are some examples of today's word in Latin sayings and proverbs:
Tunc scimus, cum causas cognoscimus.
Tunc alios culpa, cum tu sis sine culpa.
Tunc canent cycni, cum tacebunt graculi.
Tunc cantent cycni, sileat cum graculus audax.
Semper consilium tunc deest, cum opus maxime est.
Tunc sapient stolidi, cum fuerint taciti.
Tunc beatam dico vitam, cum peracta fata sunt.
Lectio tunc utilis, cum facimus ea quae legimus.
Iracundus cum irasci desierit, tunc irascitur sibi.
Tunc ius calcatur, violentia cum dominatur.
Cum pauper diviti donat, tunc diabolus ridet.
Tunc tua res agitur, paries dum proximus ardet.
Quando timor maior, tunc Deus est propior.
Omnia tunc bona sunt, clausula quando bona.
Rem perpende prius ; tunc age, quando libet.
Malus bonum ubi se simulat, tunc est pessimus.
Pomum suave est, tunc ubi custos abest.
Si deficit faenum, tunc accipe stramen.
Tunc male vulpi erit, si muscas prendere tentet.
Absente vino, nulla tunc adest Venus.
Da tua dum tua sunt ; post mortem tunc tua non sunt.
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