Let no further discussion
mar your sense of certainty.
Let no logic stir irrationality,
challenge responsibility,
force mutability.
Enough!
Sine pace.
Fix this!
scribere nunc February 28, 2013
I thought I’d have a ring or bracelet made with a Latin inscription that reminds me of my goal to “write a thousand words a day.” I have played around with the Google translator and it offers me:
Scribere milia verborum quotidie
It looks rather impressive, doesn’t it? Unfortuately, the ring I have in mind has room for 30 characters, and this is 32. I could go with “write a thousand”
Scribere milia
or even “a thousand words”
Milia verborum
I could skip the amount, and just say “write daily” which is probably the most essential point
Scribere quotidie
Finally, I decided that I could boil it down to a single injunction:
Scribere nunc
Yep. That’s the crucial component of the exercise. Quit goofing around. No more procrastinating. Turn off Facebook. Quick checking out eBay.
Write now.
exempli gratia July 9, 2012
e.g.
So, I was pondering “e.g.” today. I know, of course, that the translation of this Latin abbreviation is ‘for example’ but I was wondering if ‘e’ is for ‘exempli’ what is the ‘g’ for?
Guess.
Just guess.
Yeah. It’s GRATIA. Seriously.
So then I had to look at ‘gratia’ again. Google translator tells me it means ‘of.’ My mind is beginning to boggle. So here is what Google says the Latin word ‘gratia’ is all about. It’s absolutely ubiquitous! It’s a very all-purpose, wonderful word. It’s a noun with 25 interpretations. It’s a conjunction . It’s 3 prepostions. ( “of” is a preposition. Notice that it’s not on the list).
Exempli, on the other hand, is very specific. One meaning. Just ‘example.’
Now.
Go through the list below of interpretations of ‘gratia’ and put ‘example of’ in front of each one. Suddenly those two little letters become rather profound.
Words are fascinating.
| noun | |
| GRACE | GRATIA, LEPOS, LEPOR, VENUS, VENUSTAS, DECOR |
| FAVOR | |
| PLEASINGNESS | GRATIA, LEPOR, LEPOS, LIBITA |
| PLEASANTNESS | AMOENITAS, JUCUNDITAS, IUCUNDITAS, GRATIA, DULCITUDO, DULCEDO |
| FAVOUR | |
| CHARM | DELICIAE, GRATIA, VENUSTAS, VENUS, IUCUNDITAS, JUCUNDITAS |
| LIKING | GRATIA, APPROBATIO, FAVOR, LIBIDO, LUBIDO |
| GOODWILL | GRATIA, ADFECTIO, AFFECTIO, AFFECTUS, AEQUANIMITAS, ADFECTUS |
| ESTEEM | HONOR, HONOS, CARITAS, DIGNATIO, DIGNITAS, GRATIA |
| GRATITUDE | GRATIA, GRATUS ANIMUS, GRATITUDO, PIETAS |
| LOVE | AMOR, COMPLEXUS, ARDOR, CONPLEXUS, FLAMMA, GRATIA |
| APPROVAL | APPROBATIO, COMPROBATIO, CONPROBATIO, PROBATIO, CONCORDIA, GRATIA |
| SUPPORT | SUBSIDIUM, CONATUM, AUXILIUM, SUPPETIAE, SUBPETIAE, GRATIA |
| POPULARITY | STUDIUM POPULI, FAVOR POPULI, GRATIA |
| THANK | GRATIA |
| SERVICE | OPERA, BENEFICIUM, SERVITIUM, ADMINISTRATIO, MINISTERIUM, GRATIA |
| THANKS | GRATES, GRATIA |
| REGARD | RESPECTUS, CURA, CARITAS, HONOR, HONOS, GRATIA |
| ACKNOWLEDGMENT | AGNITIO, GRATIA, CONFESSIO |
| EARNING GRATITUDE | GRATIA |
| FASCINATION | FASCINATIO, LEPOR, LEPOS, GRATIA, MEDICATUS |
| PARTIALITY | FAVOR, GRATIA, CUPIDITAS, INIQUITAS, STUDIUM |
| AFFECTION | AFFECTUS, CONATUM, AFFECTIO, ADFECTIO, GRATIA, BENEVOLENTIA |
| FRIENDSHIP | AMICITIA, AMICITIES, SODALITAS, NECESSITAS, NECESSITUDO, GRATIA |
| AUTHORITY | AUCTORITAS, POTESTAS, POTENTIA, LICENTIA, IUS, GRATIA |
| preposition | |
| TO | IN, USQUE AD, USQUE, GRATIA, INDU, ERGA |
| IN FAVOR OF | GRATIA, PRO, PROD |
| FOR THE SAKE OF | OB, CAUSA, GRATIA, ERGO, PER |
| conjunction | |
| IN ORDER TO | GRATIA |
Latin inspiration May 8, 2012
I don’t know why I am so surprised when I discover yet another way in which knowing other languages adds so many layers to the words we use every day. Beyond that, root words I’ve known forever, suddenly spring into profound meaning with a flash. Like today.
Consider the Latin root spir. It means ‘to breathe.’ You know, ‘respiration’ and all that.
Combine it with the prefix in- meaning ‘in’ or ‘on.’
This means inspire translates as ‘in breath’ or ‘on breath’
Oh my.
Breath is an essential aspect of life. Without breathing, there is no life.
Our creativity is essential to our life. We are inspired as we are in our breath.
When we are inspired, the doing becomes as natural as breathing.
Oh.
My.
latin joint April 24, 2012
You know, Latin fascinates me. I remember a verse in an autograph book I once had, “Latin is a dead language it’s plain enough to see. It killed off all the Romans, and now it’s killing me.” I never had the opportunity to study Latin, but I have studied French, Spanish and Italian at various degrees of seriousness, and so I make a lot of connections between Latin root words in those Roman languages, and of course in English as well.
Take the word “iugo” for example. It doesn’t have just a couple meanings, as would be likely if it was an English word. Iugo covers a concept rather thoroughly. Consider that it means,
JOIN
JOINT
JOIN TOGETHER
BIND TOGETHER
LINK
BAND
CONNECT
INTERLACE
INOSCULATE
INTERLOCK
MATE
YOKE
COMMINGLE
WED
UNITE
PAIR
COMPOUND
MARRY
CLASP
AGGREGATE
HARNESS
CONFLATE
BRIDGE
FUN
COUPLE
PAN
COMPACT
AGGLUTINATE
LARK
RALLY
COMPLECT
AMALGAMATE
CONJOIN
LEASH
kind of profound isn’t it? Someday maybe I’ll really study Latin, but in the meantime, I’ll enjoy the Google translator and make the best of it.
Oh, if you’re trying figure how this connects to Grace Awakening, Iugo is the surname of Concordia in the books. Concordia is the Roman goddess of marital harmony. (I’ve told you before all the names in your books are chosen for a reason…)
creo, ergo sum January 16, 2012
Creo, ergo sum.
I create, therefore I am.
Or should that be
I am, therefore I create?
Ego sum, ergo creo
Shawn L. Bird 