Proverbs/Grammar ~ Grammar/Proverbs: Latin Lesson #6: Feminine nouns and adjectives

The focus for today's lesson is more feminine nouns and adjectives, so let's start by reviewing the sayings you've seen so far that feature only feminine nouns and adjectives, grouped by the different word patterns:

NOUN IS NOUN:

Scientia potentia.
Sapientia potentia.
Sapientia felicitas.
Innocentia eloquentia.
Eloquentia sagitta.
Est vipera invidia.
Peregrinatio vita est.

NOUN IS ADJECTIVE:

Paupertas ingeniosa.
Mendax fama.
Amara est veritas.
Roma aeterna est.
Fortuna caeca est.
Aequa mors est.
Jacta alea est.

NOUN IS ADJECTIVE-NOUN:

Spes ultima dea.

WHEN/WHILE NOUN IS, NOUN IS.

Dum vita est, spes est.

Now, here are some more sayings with only feminine nouns and adjectives:

1. Mediocritas optima est.
Moderation is best.
Me-di-O-cri-tas OP-ti-ma EST.

Latin mediocritas means "being in the middle, moderation," without any of the negative connotations of the English word "mediocrity." Just the opposite: mediocritas is the best!

Latin optima, "best," can be seen in English words like "optimum," "optimal," etc.

Compare a similar phrase: aurea mediocritas, "the golden mean." You can find out more at Wikipedia: Golden mean.

2. Omnis est misera servitus.
All slavery is wretched.
OM-nis EST MI-se-ra SER-vi-tus.

Latin omnis is an adjective meaning "all, every," as in English omni- words like "omnivore," "omnivorous," etc.

Latin misera, "wretched, sad," gives us English "miserable."

Latin servitus can mean "slavery" or "servitude," as the Latin noun servus can mean "slave" or "servant."

This is a new sentence pattern: the noun phrase omnis servitus, which is the subject of the sentence, wraps around the predicate: est misera. This "wrap-around" style of Latin sentence is very common, not just in poetry, but also in prose.

3. Furtiva Venus dulcior.
Furtive love (is) sweeter.
Fur-TI-va VE-nus DUL-ci-or.

Latin furtiva, "furtive, stealthy," is an adjective derived from the Latin word fur, "thief."

Venus is the name of the Roman goddess of love, and the word Venus can also mean "love." You can find out more about the goddess Venus at Wikipedia. The names of other Roman gods and goddesses can be used as nouns in this way: Mars is war, Bacchus is wine, Ceres is bread, etc.

Latin dulcis, "sweet," gives us the English word "dulcet," although English "dulcet" refers only to sweet sounds, like the sound of someone's voice. Latin dulcis, however, can be used for sweet tastes, sounds, feelings, just like English "sweet." The form dulcior is comparative: "sweeter." Venus is always sweet, but furtiva Venus is sweeter.

4. Nunc nox, mox lux.
Now (it is) night, soon (it will be) day.
NUNC NOX, MOX LUX.

Latin nunc means "now," and both Latin nunc and English "now" are from the same Indo-European root: nu.

Latin nox, "night," has as its stem noct- which you can see in the English word "nocturnal."

Latin mox means "soon," and the way mox rhymes with nox is part of the stylistic charm of this saying.

Latin lux, "light," has as its stem luc- which you can see in the English word "lucid."

5. Quam dulcis libertas!
How sweet (is) liberty!
QUAM DUL-cis li-BER-tas!

The Latin word quam, "how," can be used in exclamations, just like English "how."

Latin libertas is a noun formed from the adjective liber, "free," and gives us English "liberty."

Now that you know this sentence pattern, you can make up all kinds of exclamations:

Quam dulcis Venus!
Quam dulcis vita!
Quam misera servitus!
Quam amara servitus!
Quam mendax fama!

So, feel free to start composing your own little Latin sentences, and if you have written something and would like me to check it, just send me an email. It's fun to get a Latin email!

Here again are today's sayings: