Latin dies is the root of English "diurnal" (as opposed to "nocturnal") and "diary." It also gives us English "journal," "journey" and "adjourn." You can see Latin dies in English "dismal," which comes from dies mali, "evil days." The root dies also shows up in English "quotidian" and "circadian." We even use the Latin phrase "per diem" in English.
And here is the slideshow (with cats) of the words you have seen before:
And here are today's proverbs:
1. Dies dolorem minuit.
The-day diminishes grief.
dies do-LO-rem MI-nuit.
The word dies is the nominative subject of the verb minuit, "lessens, diminishes." You haven't seen this verb before, but you have seen a related adverb: minus.
The word dolorem is the accusative form of dolor, the subject of the verb.
The "day" here stands for "time," the idea being that day by day, grief diminishes.
2. Lucernam in meridie accendis.
You're-burning a-lamp at mid-day.
lu-CER-nam in me-RI-die ac-CEN-dis.
You know all the words in this saying, and in fact you've seen a variation on this saying before: Lucernam adhibes in meridie.
2. Lucernam in meridie accendis.
You're-burning a-lamp at mid-day.
lu-CER-nam in me-RI-die ac-CEN-dis.
You know all the words in this saying, and in fact you've seen a variation on this saying before: Lucernam adhibes in meridie.
The word lucernam is the accusative form of lucerna, object of the verb accendis, the 2nd-person form of the verb accendit.
The word meridie is the ablative form of meridies with the preposition in. The word is a compound: meri-dies, "mid-day." This is the M in AM, ante meridiem, "before noon," and PM: post meridiem, "after noon." Latin meridies is also the source of English "meridian."
Compare the phrase, "Burning daylight." The idea is that it is foolish to light a lamp or lantern when you have the light of the sun in the sky at high noon.
3. Vive in diem.
Live for the-day.
vive in diem.
You also know all the words in this saying.
The word diem is the accusative form of dies, used with the preposition in, which has the sense of "into" or "for" when used with the accusative.
The verb vive is the imperative form: "live!"
Compare the even more famous Latin saying: Carpe diem.
4. Diem nox premit, dies noctem.
Night presses-on the-day, the-day on-night.
diem nox premit, dies noctem.
Here you see the nominative and accusative forms of dies, along with the nominative and accusative forms of nox.
4. Diem nox premit, dies noctem.
Night presses-on the-day, the-day on-night.
diem nox premit, dies noctem.
Here you see the nominative and accusative forms of dies, along with the nominative and accusative forms of nox.
In the first part of the saying, nox is the subject of the verb premit, "presses, presses on, pursues," with diem as the object, and then in the second part of the saying, dies is the subject and noctem is the object, with the verb premit implied.
The saying elegantly expresses that endless, recurring cycle of night and day: day chases night away, but then night comes back, chasing the day.
5. Una dies sapientem non perficit.
One day doesn't perfect (a person) wise.
una dies sapi-EN-tem non PER-ficit.
Another one where you know all the words already!
5. Una dies sapientem non perficit.
One day doesn't perfect (a person) wise.
una dies sapi-EN-tem non PER-ficit.
Another one where you know all the words already!
The subject is una dies, and the verb is perficit. The word sapientem is the accusative form of sapiens, the object of the verb.
Compare the saying "Rome was not built in a day." So too the wise person!
Here's a recap:
Plus the LOLCats!
Here's a recap:
- Dies dolorem minuit.
- Lucernam in meridie accendis.
- Vive in diem.
- Diem nox premit, dies noctem.
- Una dies sapientem non perficit.
Plus the LOLCats!
