Latin Language Blog

Latin Adjectives II

leire — Sun, 19 Feb 2012 23:36:08 +0000

DEGREES OF SIGNIFICANCE Comparative degree The systematic degrees of comparison are: inferiority, equality and superiority. The comparison of inferiority and equality is made with an adverb that modifies the adjective in positive degree and the second term (which will be in the same case as the first) introduced by quam. Titus minus doctus quam [...]

Latin Adjectives I

leire — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 10:47:00 +0000

1st GROUP They are declined using the ends of the first and second declensions. Using the second declension for masculine and neuter, and the first for feminine. Singular Plural Masculine Feminine Neuter Masculine Feminine Neuter Nominative -us, -er -a -um -i -ae -a Vocative -e, -er -a -um -i -ae -a Accusative -um [...]

The discovery of America in Latin

leire — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 21:33:27 +0000

Here is a selection of short texts from the Latin translation of Columbus’ letter to Gabriel Sanchez, treasurer of the kingdom of Aragon, on March 14, 1493, giving news of his first voyage to the Indies. The Castilian text was soon translated into Latin by Leandro de Cosco for spreading rapidly the news of the [...]

XVIII International Botanical Congress and the end of the use of Latin

leire — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 22:25:45 +0000

The title of this post is not completely faithful to reality. Recently, during the XVIII International Botanical Congress, it was decided that from January 1st 2012 it would not be compulsory to use Latin for botanical description of species. Now you can use either Latin or English. The names of the plants, though, will remain [...]

Roman calendar

leire — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 22:52:20 +0000

The calendar we use nowadays corresponds with very light variations, to the one that Julius Caesar used. However, in the history of the Roman calendar we can distinguish three stages: initial, Numa Pompilius’ reform, and the reform of Julius Caesar. In the initial phase, which was a lunar calendar, the year was made up of [...]