Praefectus Praetorio
R.I.P. Brother of the Quill
Who says Latin is a dead language?Eum illuc sursum fode, eaque pande.
Who says Latin is a dead language?Eum illuc sursum fode, eaque pande.
..., even if there are English words that come from the Latin.
There's the Roman alba, but I don't think that was probably used for the Egyptian garment. Possibly the Romans would have used the more generic vestis?Was there a Latin term (Graeco-Latin, I suppose) for the kind of long linen garments Egyptians used to wear? I think I've seen it somewhere, but I can't find it again.
Not sure. When Eul returns she will have the definitive answer.Was there a Latin term (Graeco-Latin, I suppose) for the kind of long linen garments Egyptians used to wear? I think I've seen it somewhere, but I can't find it again.
I think the word you want is kalasiris: 'the robes worn by both sexes in Egypt were called kalasiris by Herodotus. Material and cut varied over the centuries, though the cloth of choice was always linen. The kalasiris women wore might cover one or both shoulders or be worn with shoulder straps.' 'The dresses were held up by one or two straps and were worn down to the ankle, while the upper edge could be worn above or below the breasts. The length of the dress denoted the social class of the wearer.' It generally had a fringe, perhaps tassels. I assume the word is Egyptian rather than Greek in origin.Was there a Latin term (Graeco-Latin, I suppose) for the kind of long linen garments Egyptians used to wear? I think I've seen it somewhere, but I can't find it again.
The extent of your scholarship never ceases to amaze.I think the word you want is kalasiris: 'the robes worn by both sexes in Egypt were called kalasiris by Herodotus. Material and cut varied over the centuries, though the cloth of choice was always linen. The kalasiris women wore might cover one or both shoulders or be worn with shoulder straps.' 'The dresses were held up by one or two straps and were worn down to the ankle, while the upper edge could be worn above or below the breasts. The length of the dress denoted the social class of the wearer.' It generally had a fringe, perhaps tassels. I assume the word is Egyptian rather than Greek in origin.
Not sure. When Eul returns she will have the definitive answer.
I think the word you want is kalasiris:
Was I right!!The extent of your scholarship never ceases to amaze.
If I remember correctly, fourth declension nouns end in -us in both singular and plural in the nominative. Caucus could be a fourth declension noun.Ok, so I'm watching the news and they're talking about the Iowa caucuses and I'm wondering, if it's cactus/cacti, bacillus/bacilli, why isn't it caucus/cauci?
Just looked it up. The nominative plural is actually cauci (second declension). We've anglicized it to "caucuses."If I remember correctly, fourth declension nouns end in -us in both singular and plural in the nominative. Caucus could be a fourth declension noun.
That just seems cockeyedJust looked it up. The nominative plural is actually cauci (second declension). We've anglicized it to "caucuses."
Of course it is! Language always seems illogical and even absurd. (We'd like it to be orderly--hence, the establishment of artificial grammar rules. But we as a species are not orderly or logical. And our languages reflect that.) Anglicisation is but one way that languages display our cockeyed-ness. Example: the French word for that pretty yellow-petaled weed is dent-de-lion (literally, "lion's tooth," referring to how the leaves look like lions' teeth). English speakers corrupted this to dandelion. That's anglicisation.That just seems cockeyed
Caucus isn't a Latin word, it's a New England coinage of uncertain origin,Ok, so I'm watching the news and they're talking about the Iowa caucuses and I'm wondering, if it's cactus/cacti, bacillus/bacilli, why isn't it caucus/cauci?
But then other sources say it came from Medieval Latin for drinking cup, borrowed from the Greek kaukos. There was a Caucus Club in Boston in the 1760s, where they discussed the affairs of the day, presumably while indulging in alcohol consumption...Caucus isn't a Latin word, it's a New England coinage of uncertain origin,
the earliest record seems to be John Adams in 1763. An Algonquin word,
'cau-cau-asu' meaning 'advice, counsel' seems likely to be in the background.
I know nothing of plurals in Algonquin, but there's certainly no need
to treat it as Latin.
Oh yes, there was such a word - Jerome and Bede both used it, but it's pretty rare,But then other sources say it came from Medieval Latin for drinking cup, borrowed from the Greek kaukos. There was a Caucus Club in Boston in the 1760s, where they discussed the affairs of the day, presumably while indulging in alcohol consumption...
I'm relieved your weren't thinking of a male cup-bearing slavegirl!Oh yes, there was such a word - Jerome and Bede both used it, but it's pretty rare,
I guess some learned New England divine might have known of it,
and linked it with the Algonquin word to invent a term for a political 'party'
in the 18th century sense - a small group of guys drinking and plotting together.
But in the early citations for US English, the plural always seems to have been
'caucuses' from the outset, suggesting it wasn't thought of as a Latin word.
Incidentally, I'm happy to see Καυκίτζα kaukitza, a female, cup-bearing slavegirl!