Topic / Level 4; Neo-Latin [11]
Clearing out the closet (1); introduction; clothing (general) and footwear
Neo-Latin comprises:
[i] Nouns which are an (almost) exact “fit”, i.e. the Neo-Latin
noun conveys the same meaning as the original Classical Latin (CL), or its
Neo-Latin (Neo-L) definition would not be misinterpreted, for example:
cingulum, -ī [2/n]: belt
[ii] Combinations of noun + adjective describing the item more
specifically:
(Neo-L) calceī āthlēticī: trainers < (CL) calceus,
-ī [2/m]: shoe + (CL) āthlēticus, -a, -um: athletic; pertaining to the athlete
[iii] Modification of existing nouns:
(Late Latin) superindūmentum, -ī [2/n]: an outer
garment; super- (above)
This is logically modified to Neo-Latin: subterindūmentum,
-ī [2/n]: underwear; subter- (below)
[iv] Reinterpretations of CL meaning; this is by far
the greatest challenge in the topic of clothing since:
- many garments common to us now did not exist in Ancient Rome
- the precise visual nature of certain items of clothing is not always clear, nor are similar items of clothing particularly distinguished in writing
- translators and lexicographers are not always in agreement as to how a word may be rendered
[v] invention of new words based upon CL roots, a
feature of, for example, terms introduced during the Renaissance
Image #1 says it all! And we will untangle those “odd socks”
soon.
Bear in mind the proverb: “a camel is a horse designed by a committee”, in this case
comprising lexicographers who will list a plethora of Neo-Latin terms. One
lexicographer may often cite another, or offer a different meaning for the same
word, and at different periods in history.
There is no Académie Française, no Real Academia Española, no “central committee”, and no “grand jury”. What we have is
fragmentation from individuals, or groups of academics or enthusiasts who
create different “camels” to resolve the same contemporary problem.
In compiling this and the
subsequent posts, I primarily cross-referenced the following sources:
- Conversational Latin for Oral
Proficiency (Traupman)
- First Thousand Words in Latin (Amery)
- The Neo-Latin Lexicon and its citations (Morgan)
- Orbis Pictus (Comenius) & other Renaissance, Mediaeval or Late Latin texts
- References from the Roman authors
- Lewis & Short Latin Dictionary (abbrev. L & S)
- Dictionary of Mediaeval Latin from British Sources (abbrev. DMLBS)
- Dictionary of Classical Antiquities (Thurston-Peck)
- A Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities (William Smith)
We will also revisit certain words from earlier discussions on
the topic.
My aim in this and the subsequent posts is not to provide a
definitive and unassailable list. In considering the ‘validity’ of Neo-Latin
terms, I do not state that something is “right” or “wrong”, but I do say what I
feel is closer to original Classical Latin or what are plausible coinages. Moreover,
I have been cautious of Neo-Latin usage of nouns with distinct historical or
cultural associations, e.g. tunica, bulla
In short, if you were learning French and wanted to know the
word for ‘necktie’, you would find ‘cravate’ – full stop – move on. In
Neo-Latin, however, such an approach is often not so smooth. The Neo-Latin
Lexicon lists, for example, ten words for ‘skirt’; they may all have some
legitimacy, but you do not need nine words and so we will try to narrow the
options – ideally, but not always, to one.
[1] clothes (general)
The following CL nouns do not convey any specific type of
clothing:
[i] vestis, -is [3/f]: [i] a garment, i.e. a single
article / item of clothing; [ii] clothes, clothing = (pl.) vestēs
[ii] vestīmentum, -ī [2/n]: [i] (sg.) article of
clothing; [ii] (pl.) vestīmenta, -ōrum: clothes, clothing
[iii] vestītus, -ūs [4/m]: clothing, clothes (used
collectively)
[2] shoes
[i]
(CL) calceāmentum, -ī [2/n]
(CL) calceātus, -ūs [4/m]
Both nouns refer to “a covering for the foot” and neither
specifies any type. Consequently, they do convey the Neo-L rendering of
‘footwear’. The plural form calceāmenta nicely parallels vestīmenta.
[ii]
calceus, -ī [2/m]: shoe
(Neo-L) calceī āthlēticī: trainers < (CL)
āthlēticus, -a, -um: athletic; pertaining to the athlete
(Neo-L) corrīgia, -ae [1/f]: shoelace < (CL) “a
shoe-tie” (L & S) “lace for fastening shoes” (DMLBS)
pērō, -ōnis [3/m]: boot; rare, but CL, and
also used by Comenius
sandalium, -ī [2/n]: slipper; sandal
solea, -ae [1/f] “a slipper consisting of a
sole fastened on by a strap across the instep” (L & S)
(Neo-L) solum, -ī (pedis) [2/n]: sole (of shoe or foot)
< (CL) [i] bottom, ground; [ii] sole of the foot
Note: the "image banks" at the end of individual posts or groups of posts refer to vocabulary that has been covered. There are no labels. There may be other words based on your own study that you would prefer to use.
Topic / Level 4; Neo-Latin [12]
Clearing out the closet (2); socks and tights
This section well illustrates that, at Level 4, we are dealing
with far more than a list of clothes, but considering the investigative
processes, semantic shifts, diverse interpretations and historical and cultural
associations that can come into play when dealing with what were – and still
are – everyday items.
Odd socks!
You may think that soccus would be a viable Neo-Latin
term for ‘sock’ since it is a Germanic borrowing from CL soccus, -ī
[2/m] > OE socc; Gmn Socke; Dutch sok, and similarly
derived words in the Scandinavian languages. However, the CL noun did not refer
to any covering for the foot or leg, but to a light shoe or slipper, and its
meaning was discussed in an earlier post. The Neo-Latin Lexicon does not list
it.
What are the alternatives? As is often the case, it cannot be
an exact science, but writers at different periods give guidance.
[1] Vives (1539):
BELLINUS
Ūdōnēs* datō itidem mundōs; | Likewise, give me clean socks;
nam hī sunt iam exsūdātī, | for
these are now moist
et paedōre olidī: | and are foul with the
stench:
[*Ūdōnēs, sunt calceolī linteī. | Udones are ‘little’ linen ‘shoes’]
The Vives dialogue is clearly referring to socks or longer
stockings; the lad is complaining about the smell!
[2]
[i]
hieme quaternīs cum pinguī togā tunicīs et
subūculā et thōrāce lāneō et … tībiālibus mūniēbātur (Suetonius)
In winter he protected himself with four tunics and a heavy
toga, and an undershirt, a woollen chest-protector and wraps for his … shins.
[ii]
Theophrastus auctor est esse bulbī genus circā
rīpās amnium nāscēns,
Theophrastus informs us, that there is a kind of bulb growing
around river banks
cuius inter summum corticem
between the outer skin of which
eamque partem, quā vēscuntur,
and that part, on which they feed [ = which is edible]
esse lāneam nātūram,
is a woolly substance
ex quā inpilia vestēsque quaedam
cōnficiantur. (Pliny the Elder)
of which felt slippers, and other articles of dress,
are made.
[iii] Note how Justinian clearly classifies these items:
Fasciae crūrālēs pedūlēsque et inpilia
vestis locō sunt,
Cloths for the legs or feet and felt
shoes are included under clothing,
quia partem corporis vestiunt.
because they cover a part of the body.
alia causa est ūdōnum, quia ūsum
calceāmentōrum praestant.
socks are another matter because they
serve as footwear.
Here are the words used by the various sources:
(1) ūdus, -a, -um (ūvidus, -a, -um): wet, damp, moist
ūdō, -ōnis [3/m]: “a sock of felt or fur”
(L & S) “a warm, close-fitting shoe of felt” (Smith)
(2) tībiālis, -e: relating to the shin-bone < tībia, -ae
[1/f]: shin
tībiāle, -is [3/n]: “stocking, or
other covering for the lower leg” (DMLBS)
(3) crūrālis, -e: pertaining to the leg < crūs, -ris [3/n]:
leg
crūrāle, -is [3/n]: “hose” (DMLBS)
(4) pedūlis, -e: (Late Latin) made for / intended for the foot
< pēs, pedis [3/m]: foot
pedūle, -is [3/n]: sole of the foot
(5) (im-)inpilia, -ium [3/n/pl]: (very rare) felt shoes
< Anc. Gk. πῖλος [pîlos]: wool / hair made
into felt; clothing items made of felt
Finally, can we ‘untangle’ the sock drawer?
[i] (Neo-L) crūrālia, -ium: tights (Amery); that would
be justifiable given its association with a form of overall leg covering
[ii] (Neo-L) tībiālia, -ium: socks, stockings i.e. it
would neatly convey the idea of ‘knee-length’ socks since it is orginally
referring to the shin
[iii]
(Neo-L) pedūlia, -ium: socks; associated with the foot
(Neo-L) ūdōnēs, -ium: socks; associated in 1539 with the (wet, damp, moist) smell!
Topic / Level 4; Neo-Latin [13]
Clearing out the closet (3) How many ways can you blow your nose?
(1) (Neo-L) linteolum, -ī [2/n]: handkerchief; (CL)
linteum, -ī [2/n]: linen cloth; linteolum, -ī [2/n]: (diminutive)
form: a small linen cloth
Habuit Āpulēius quaepiam linteolō inuolūta apud
larēs Pontiānī. (Apuleius)
Apuleius kept some things wrapped in a napkin
at Pontianus's household shrine.
Linteolum describes the material from
which the item is made. However, there are two further words which describe the
function.
[i] Discussed in an earlier post was: sūdārium [2/n]: a
cloth for wiping off sweat; handkerchief
[ii] A Late Mediaeval coinage based on the following piece of
advice by the Franciscan friar Michel Menot (c. 1440–1518):
Sī sit macula in nāsitergiō tuō, oportet
pōnere in lotrītiō.
If there be a spot upon your nose-wiper, you should put
it in the laundry vat. (Note: lotrītium is also a coinage, referring to
some ‘vat’ for washing clothes)
Not CL, but – like sūdārium – nāsitergium
conveys exactly the purpose; a coinage of nāsus, -ī [2/m]: nose + tergō, -ere [3]
or tergeō, -ēre [2]: wipe + -ium > nāsitergium, -ī [2/n]: (literally) “a
nose-wiping instrument”
[iii] Comenius (LXI) uses an equally ‘descriptive’ term for
the ‘handkircher’:
… sartrīx suit … muccinia | the
sempster (seamstress) soweth handkirchers
muccinium / mūcinium [2/n]:
pocket-handkerchief < muccus / mūcus [2/m]: mucus for the nose;
snivel
Catullus 23:
quārē nōn tibi sit bene ac beātē? | Why
would you be not well and blessed?
ā tē sūdor abest, abest salīva, | From
you the sweat is missing, absent is saliva
mūcusque et mala pītuīta nāsī. | And snot and
nasty nasal phlegm.
So you don’t need to be content with one way of blowing your
nose: you can choose four!
linteolum: a little piece of linen cloth
sūdārium: sweat-wiper
nāsitergium: nose-wiper
muccinium: snot-wiper
Topic / Level 4; Neo-Latin [14]
Clearing out the closet (4) What lies beneath … and above?
I think that the word “shirt” would, for most people, convey a
very specific item of clothing: businessmen, job applicants and schoolkids wear
them. And politicians – when attempting to show that they are “men of the
people” – wear open-necked ones! Shirts have collars, sleeves,
buttons, button holes and cuffs. They sometimes have
little breast pockets and are mostly worn with ties. Of course we
know all that – but the Romans didn’t because such a garment did not exist.
Seven Neo-Latin terms are given for the same item. Is there
one which, arguably, stands out from the rest, as opposed to those which, at
different points in history, referred to garments that were unquestionably not
shirts and / or are vague?
In the introduction, I
emphasised that there is no ‘final judgement’. However, in examining
those Neo-Latin terms, I distinguished those that, in Classical Latin, referred
to an ‘inner’ garment, i.e. something worn beneath as opposed to an
‘outer’ one.
[i] (Neo-L) camīsia, -ae [1/f]: shirt; (Late Latin)
linen shirt; nightgown
Modern French: chemise (shirt), but English also has
the now rather archaic term chemise referring to a type of nightdress or
loose undergarment, especially for women.
The Neo-Latin Lexicon lists camīsia and distinguishes
it from: camīsia nocturna (nightshirt; nightgown)
https://neolatinlexicon.org/latin/nightshirt/
[ii] the following four nouns are also listed as Neo-Latin
equivalents for ‘shirt’
indūsium, -ī [2/n]
subūcula, -ae [1/f]
interula, -ae [1/f]
tunica, -ae [1/f]
(CL) indūsium, -ī [2/n]: a woman’s undergarment
(L & S); there is some debate as to whether it was actually for women. Varro
lists it immediately after palla, which is certainly a female garment.
However, the Vives quotation does not make that distinction. The jury is out –
and likely to remain so.
(CL) subūcula, -ae [1/f]: men’s or women’s under-garment;
“innermost tunic” (Illustrated Companion to the Latin Dictionary)
Varro:
indūtuī alterum
quod subtus, ā quō subūcula;
one item for putting on, because (it goes) subtus ‘underneath’,
from which (it is called) the subūcula ‘undershirt’
[…] alterīus generis item duo, ūnum quod foris ac palam, palla;
likewise of another kind
there are two, one which (is worn) outside and openly, the palla
alterum quod intus,
ā quō intūsium (indūsium),
the other which (is worn) inside
from which (is the word) intūsia
Suetonius:
hieme quaternīs cum pinguī togā tunicīs et subūculā
… mūniēbātur
In winter he protected himself with four tunics and a heavy
toga, and an undershirt…
(CL) interula, -ae [1/f]: undershirt; singlet (the noun
can stand alone without tunica); “undergarment worn by either sex,
tunic, chemise or smock” (DMLBS)
Apuleius also refers to this item of clothing specifically
worn close to the skin:
habēbat indūtuī ad corpus tunicam
interulam tenuissimō textū
For clothing he had next to his body an undershirt
of the finest texture
The distinction between ‘inner’ and ‘outer’ garments is
retained in a dialogue we discussed earlier Vives (1539):
GOMEZULUS
Vīs interulam*? | Do you
wish an under-garment?
[*Interula, est indusium
subuculae proximum, quod per hyemem (hieme) gestatur. |
An interula is an undergarment closest to the subucula (undershirt),
which is worn during the winter.]
BELLINUS
Nōn, nam ex lūce sōlis colligō diem fore
calidam, | No, for by the light of the sun I gather that the day will
be hot,
sed cede mihi thōrācem illum | But
reach me that doublet
dīmidiīs manicīs | with the half sleeves
[…]
Et tunicam simplicem […]
| And the simple / plain tunic […]
Having macheted my way
through all of that, I would align with the following Neo-Latin terms:
(Neo-L) camīsia, -ae [1/f]:
shirt
(Neo-L) subūcula, -ae
[1/f]; interula [1/f]: vest; singlet
I feel that tunica is
too closely associated with the everyday one-piece garment worn by the Romans
themselves.
A number of the words referred to here will be considered again in a later post.
Topic / Level 4; Neo-Latin [15]
Clearing out the closet (5) belts, collars and ties
(1) cingulum, -ī [2/n]: belt
(2) fībula, -ae [1/f]: buckle (also: clasp, brooch)
(3) (Neo-L) collāre, -is [3/n]: collar < (CL) collāris, -e: pertaining to the neck; collāre, -is [3/n]: band or chain for the neck < collum, -ī [2/n]: neck
[i] Comenius (LXI): sartrīx suit …
collāria | the sempstress soweth … bands
- sartor, -ōris [3/m]: tailor; sartrīx, -īcis
[3/f]: (female) tailor; seamstress
[ii]
nē vulnerentur ā bēstiīs, inpōnuntur hīs collāria,
quae vocantur mēlium, id est cingulum circum collum ex coriō firmō cum
clāvulīs capitātīs, quae intrā capita īnsuitur pellis mollis, nē noceat collō
dūritia ferrī (Varro)
So that they may not be wounded by wild beasts, collars
are placed on them, which are called ‘melium’, that
is, a belt around the neck made of stout leather with nails having
heads; under the nail heads there is sewed a piece of soft leather, so that the
hardness of the iron may not injure the neck.
Therefore, the original noun is not, of course, referring to a
shirt collar, but works well as a Neo-Latin term.
(4) (Neo-L) fascia, -ae [1/f] Croātica: necktie
< (CL) fascia, -ae: band; bandage; strip; ribbon + (Mediaeval) Croāticus,
-a, -um: Croatian
The choice of ‘Croatian’ may initially seem odd. However, this
refers to the origin of the necktie and, in particular, the French renaming it
as cravate:
“The necktie that spread from Europe traces back to Croatian
mercenaries serving in France during the Thirty Years' War (1618–1648). These
mercenaries from the Military Frontier, wearing their traditional small,
knotted neckerchiefs, aroused the interest of the Parisians. Because of the
difference between the Croatian word for Croats, Hrvati, and the French
word, Croates, the garment gained the name cravat (cravate
in French).”
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Necktie
Dominus Dursley bombiēbat dum fasciam
hebetissimī colōris ēligēbat idōneam ad negōtia gerenda. (Harry
Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone; Latin edition)
Mr Dursley hummed as he picked out his most boring tie
for work.
Alternatives are, I feel, less convincing but, like Mr
Dursley, you can pick out whatever tie you want!
- fōcāle, -is [3/n]: “a neck-cloth, cravat, worn by sick or effeminate persons” (L & S)
- the Neo-Latin Lexicon also lists croāta but there is no attested form of that word
Topic / Level 4; Neo-Latin [16]
Clearing out the closet (6) buttons, cuffs, pockets, sleeves, zips
(1)
(Neo-L) manica, -ae [1/f]: sleeve < (CL) manicae,
-ārum (mainly in plural): long sleeve of a tunic as far as the hand
(CL) manicātus, -a, -um: long-sleeved
Comenius (LXII)
& togās manicātās | and sleeve coats
(Neo-L) manicae curtae: short sleeves < (CL) curtus,
-a, -um: shortened
(2) Ancient Roman clothing did not have ‘cuffs’, nor – as we
progress through fashion – is there any distinct Neo-Latin rendering for the
word. Lexicographers are aware of that and so one of the most succinct options
is: extrēma manica: cuff < (CL) extrēmus, -a, -um: furthest; coming
at the end; outermost.
It is an obvious coinage but distinguishes that part of the
clothing and, frankly, is far less verbose than other suggestions such as extremae
manicae fimbria or imae manicae laciniae adsciticae!
(3)
(Neo-L) sinus, -ūs [4/m]: pocket; the basic CL meaning
of the noun is ‘bend’, ‘curve’, ‘fold’ and is used in a range of contexts, one
of which is to refer to the upper fold of a garment where money could be
‘pocketed’.
(Neo-L) sacculus, -ī [2/m]: literally a little
bag or sack, and in CL referring to a separate item rather than anything
integral to a garment.
When Catullus pleads poverty:
nam tuī Catullī / plēnus sacculus est
arāneārum
for the ‘wallet’ [lit: little purse / (money) bag] of your
Catullus is full of cobwebs
One lexicographer creates a very precise coinage with sacculus
bracārum: trouser pocket
The following noun also occurs in the Neo-Latin Lexicon as a
rendering of ‘pocket’: funda, -ae [1/f]
In CL the noun is almost exclusively associated with some form
of sling; in one or two instances it can refer to a type of net or a
money bag. In my view, it does not immediately depict something in which small
items e.g. money would be kept.
(4) In Comenius LXII: thōrācēs,
cum globulīs | doublets, with buttons
[i] (Neo-L) globulī, -ōrum [2/m/pl]: buttons < (CL) globulus,
-ī [2/m]: a little ball, the diminutive of globus, -ī [2/m]:
any round object
[ii] (Neo-L) orbiculī, -ōrum [2/m pl]: buttons <
(CL) orbiculus, -ī [2/m]: a small disc, the diminutive of orbis,
-is [3/m]: circle; disc; ring
Both are plausible terms given that buttons are usually small
and either in the shape of a flat disk or ball.
Others:
(Neo-L) butō, -ōnis [3/m]: button; no such word existed
in CL, but is a Latinisation of Old French boton
(CL) bulla, -ae [1/f]: [i]
the protective amulet worn by Roman boys; [ii] a type of stud or boss e.g. in a
door or on a belt. This option, I feel, stretches a Classical meaning too far;
ancient bullae were decorative or ritual metal mounts, wholly lacking
the mechanical function of a modern buttonhole fastener.
(5) (Neo-L) ocellī, -ōrum [2/m pl]: buttonholes <
(CL) ocellus, -ī [2/m]: a little eye, the diminutive of oculus, -ī
[2/m]: eye
(6) (Neo-L) clausūra, -ae [1/f] denticulāta:
zipper < (CL) clausūra, -ae [1/f]: a means of fastening but very often referring to a form of lock or
bolt + (CL) denticulātus, -a, -um: with small teeth; toothed; jagged
The following is an interesting choice:
clausūra fulminea < (CL) fulmineus, -a, -um:
pertaining to thunder and / or lightning
Although the product was invented in the USA and patented in
1917, other international companies later obtained the manufacturing rights,
including the Lightning Fastener Company of Birmingham, UK which gave
its name to the fastener itself in a wide range of languages, for example:
Fr. fermeture (fastener) éclair (lightning)
Russ: молния [molniya]; [i] literally lightning; [ii] zip
fastener
Therefore, the Neo-Latin coinage can trace its roots to a trademark name.
Topic / Level 4; Neo-Latin [17] Clearing
out the closet (7) What lies beneath?
In “Clearing out the closet (4) What lies beneath … and
above?” we saw that certain Classical Latin nouns are associated with
‘inner’ clothing.
With no ‘authority’ in the world of Neo-Latin, the issue we
face is that a number of nouns are listed in the Neo-Latin lexicon under more
than one heading for distinctly different garments. Here we will consider the
most plausible versions as undergarments.
The Neo-Latin Lexicon lists:
(1) indūsia, -ōrum for lingerie < indūsium,
-ī [2/n]: a woman’s undergarment, the Neo-Latin definition retaining
its association with women’s wear
(2)
subūcula, -ae [1/f]: vest; undershirt
< (CL) men’s or women’s under-garment; “innermost tunic”
(Illustrated Companion to the Latin Dictionary)
interula, -ae [1/f]: undershirt;
singlet < (CL) “undergarment worn by either sex, tunic, chemise or smock”
(DMLBS)
Note the use of in-; sub-; inter- all of
which imply something worn ‘in’, ‘under’ or ‘between’ something else
Let’s continue “examining” underwear:
[iii] subterindūmentum, -ī [2/n]: underwear (general);
this is not CL, but a coinage logically created from a Late Latin noun which
does exist: superindūmentum, -ī [2/n]: an outer garment.
Therefore, the change from super- (above) to subter- (below)
would make the meaning clear.
[iv] (Neo-L) subligar, -āris [3/n]: underpants, briefs
< (CL) [i] subligar, -āris [3/n]; [ii] subligāculum, -ī
[2/n]: a type of loin cloth <
subligō, -ere [3]: tie below
“The linen bandage worn by the Roman gymnasts while
performing their exercises. It was passed round the waist and between the legs.
It was originally a loin-cloth and one of the most primitive articles of
attire; and afterwards had different forms corresponding with our belt, apron,
and drawers respectively.” (Thurston Peck)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Subligaculum
In Aulularia, Megadorus complained about the costs of the strophiāriī: the girdle-makers
Sicily c. 300 AD; female athletes wearing the subligāculum
and the strophium (breast-cloth)
By Berthold Werner - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=182544689
Topic / Level 4; Neo-Latin [18]
Clearing out the closet (8)
(1) brācae, -ārum [1/f pl]: trousers
(Neo-L) brācae Genuēnsēs: jeans < (CL) Genua, -ae
[1/f]: the Italian seaport of Genoa, from which the rare adjective Genuēnsis,
-e is derived
“Research on the trade of jean fabric shows that it emerged in
the city of Genoa, Italy, in the 16th century”
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeans
(Neo-L) brācae dēcurtātae: shorts; short trousers <
(CL) brācae, -ārum [1/f/pl]: trousers; breeches + dēcurtātus, -a, -um: cut off
(2) paenula, -ae [1/f]: raincoat < (CL) “a woollen
outer garment covering the whole body, a kind of cloak or mantle, worn on
journeys, and also in the city in rainy weather” (L & S), although the
original Roman paenula was sleeveless
The Neo-Latin Lexicon lists paenula as both ‘raincoat’
and, simply, ‘coat’
I would be inclined to keep it as ‘raincoat’ since, unlike
other outer garments, it did act as a protection against bad weather.
(3) (Neo-L) superindūmentum, -ī [2/n]: topcoat
(Traupman) < Late Latin: outer garment
(4) (Neo-L) synthesis, -is [3/f]: suit < (CL) a set
of wearing-apparel; suit of clothes
(5) (Neo-L) iacca, -ae [1/f]: jacket; the noun is not CL, but in the
absence of any other noun that would specify this garment, Morgan notes:
(5) (Neo-L) iacca, -ae [1/f]: jacket; the noun is not CL, but in the
absence of any other noun that would specify this garment, Morgan notes:
“Iacca may nevertheless be justified as a new
Latinization of a more or less international vernacular term (cf. Ital. giacca,
Germ. Jacke, Span. chaqueta, Mod. Gr.
ζακέτα ) – useful for those who find use of tunica here
insufficiently clear.” (David Morgan)
I would agree. Rather than a “one size fits all” use of tunica,
which turns up under a variety of headings, iacca conveys the meaning
precisely. Similarly, Amery lists amictus, -ūs [4/m] for ‘jacket’ which
is a general term for a garment “that is thrown about or on, any clothing, a
mantle, cloak” (L & S)
(6) (Neo-L) camīsula, -ae [1/f]: t-shirt; the
diminutive form (-ul-) of camīs(i)a but not of CL origin
The word exists in both French and English as camisole
referring to a short, sleeveless undergarment particularly associated with
women. However, the Neo-Latin definition is a logical extension.
A plausible, albeit rare alternative is:
colobium, -ī [2/n]: undergarment with
short sleeves < Anc. Gk: κολόβιον [kolóbĭon]: short-sleeved tunic
(7) (Neo-L) thōrāx, -cis lāneus [3/m]: cardigan;
woollen sweater < (CL) thōrāx, -cis [3/m]: [i] (anat.) breast, chest,
thorax; [ii] breastplate + lāneus, -a, -um: woollen
hieme quaternīs cum pinguī togā tunicīs et
subūculā et thōrāce lāneō … mūniēbātur (Suetonius)
In winter he protected himself
with four tunics and a heavy toga, and an undershirt, a woollen
chest-protector and wraps for his thighs and shins
(8) (Neo-L) amictōrium, -ī
[2/n]: scarf < (CL) clothe; cover; surround; veil; “a linen cloth to throw
around oneself, the neck-, bosom-, or breast-cloth” (Karl Ernst Georges)
In the work of Martial, the
garment speaks …
Amictōrium | Wrap
Mammōsās metuō;
tenerae mē trāde puellae, | I fear big-breasted women: hand me over to
some young girl,
Ut possint niveō
pectore līna fruī. | that my linen may enjoy a bosom of snow.
(CXLIX)
Anaboladium amictōrium
līneum fēminārum quō humerī operiuntur (Isidore of Sevile)
The anaboladium is a linen cloak
for women by which the shoulders are covered
Whether it covered the breast or covered the shoulder, it
certainly did not cover the head or any other part of the body!
(9) chīrothēcae,
-ārum [1/f/pl]: (Mediaeval) gloves
(10)
petasus, -ī [2/m]: hat (wide-brimmed)
pilleus, -ī [2/m]: cap
pilleus rōstrātus [2/m]: ‘baseball’ cap (Amery) <
(CL) rōstrātus, -a, -um: “having a beak, hook, or crooked point … curved at
the end”
pilleus āthlēticus: this, in my view, more specifically conveys the type of cap; the Neo-Latin Lexicon does not list pilleus rostrātus
Topic / Level 4; Neo-Latin [19]
Clearing out the closet (9) “skirting” around the issue; final thoughts
As we reach the end of our lengthy
exploration of the Neo-Latin clothes department, I wanted light-heartedly to
leave one of the easiest – and one of the most bizarre – until last.
(1) stola, -ae [1/f]:
dress; one of the first nouns that you probably met in Latin. Roman women wore
long dresses – 21st century ladies still do – and the word does the job
perfectly.
(2) However, less
straightforward to convey is skirt. This, I feel, well illustrates the
point that I first made regarding the entire topic. Nine nouns were
originally listed in the Neo-Latin Lexicon, and a tenth was added. As has so
often been the case, there is no common agreement. Nouns listed under one
heading may crop up under others. Dictionary definitions of Classical or Later
Latin terms are often justifiably vague owing to a dearth of original
attestations, artefacts and depictions.
The whole purpose of these
posts is to try to – excuse the pun – “pin down” a glossary of words that are
at least close to original CL meanings as opposed to throwing lists of, at
times, dubious terms or relying on “catch-all” words such as tunica to
refer to a variety of items without any real differentiation in meaning.
Would any of the listed nouns securely distinguish a ‘skirt’
i.e. waist-length, as opposed to a ‘dress’ which is full-length? The
“short-length” answer is: no. Moreover, most of the listings I would not
consider since they make little, if any reference to a specific item of
clothing and – although I’m always willing to be corrected – seem more like a
“shot in the dark” on the part of the lexicographers. Below are the CL and / or
Later Latin meanings of some of the nouns listed, none of which, in my view,
even remotely convey a skirt. Morgan more diplomatically states “other proposed
renderings.”
- inducula, -ae [1/f]: “a kind of under-garment worn by females” (L&S) – rare and, in CL, only attested in Plautus; “garment” (DMLBS)
- lacinia, -ae [1/f]: border of a garment; edge; fringe; hem
- limbus, -ī [2/m]: “a border that surrounds anything”, an example of a word under different headings, not only as ‘skirt’ but also – legitimately – as ‘hem’, thereby retaining one of its original CL meanings
Likewise, coinages read more like imprecise ‘anatomical’ explanations
of the item:
- inducula inferior
- inferior vestis
And, of course, when in doubt fall back on:
- hemitunica inferior
- tunic(ul)a inferior
“Candidates” – but far from strong ones – are as follows:
(3) (Neo-L) caltula, -ae [1/f]: skirt (Amery); we
already met this word in Epidicus’ rantings about the names for women’s
clothing:
quid istae, quae vestī quotannīs nōmina
inveniunt nova? | What about those women who invent new words for
clothing every year?
Within his long list he refers to:
caltulam aut crocōtulam, | the yellow robe or the
saffron-coloured
(CL) caltula, -ae [1/f]: a yellow robe < caltha, -ae [1/f]:
a yellow flower, possibly marigold
The noun is very rare, and is attested only in Epidicus,
where the titular character is frequently comparing colours.
“An article of female attire which appears to have been
much in vogue at the time of Plautus. … It is supposed to have received
its name from the ‘caltha’ … which is a flower of a yellow colour; but it is
impossible to ascertain the exact nature of merely local or temporary
fashions.” (Illustrated Companion to the Latin Dictionary)
It is subsequently quoted by Varro, but the difficulty of this
word is compounded by Nonius (Marcellus), a Roman grammarian from the late 4th
/ early 5th century:
caltula est palliolum praecīnctuī, quō nūdae
īnfrā papillās praecinguntur; quō mulierēs nunc et eō magis ūtuntur, postquam
subūculīs dēsiērunt.
A caltula is a small wrap for girding, with which
[women], naked underneath the breasts, gird themselves; which women use now,
and all the more so, after they left off wearing undertunics.
The noun was included in the
addenda of the Neo-Latin Lexicon.
(4) The ‘ghost’ of the castula
The plot of the “skirt saga”
thickens when we encounter the most common word used today:
(Neo-L) castula, -ae [1/f]: skirt. Listed in Lewis
& Short as: “a garment used by women, a kind of petticoat” it is used, for
example, by Traupman in Conversational Latin for Oral Proficiency and
Minkova in Latin for the New Millennium.
The noun castula is highly unlikely to have existed
at any time in antiquity since it has been identified as a scribal error rendering
Varro’s caltula as castula. It subsequently found
its way into dictionaries such as Lewis & Short. This is known as a “ghost”
word.
In other words, entries (3) and
(4) above are both dealing with the same word, Amery reverting to the actual
spelling.
(5) gunna, -ae [1/f]: (Late Latin) outer garment made
of skins; (Mediaeval) gown < Old French: goune
Derived from Late Latin gunna is Modern Italian gonna,
specifically meaning ‘skirt’.
Morgan notes “I can find no basis for using it to render skirt." That
may be the case, but little to no basis for lexical choice – with a liberal
helping of subjectivity – has been the story for many of the Neo-Latin terms,
and it is somewhat contradictory to Morgan’s observation that “Iacca may
nevertheless be justified as a new Latinization” especially during the
Renaissance when so many new words were perforce invented to convey a plethora
of discoveries. Moreover, is there any basis for “legitimising” castula,
a noun created from a spelling error?
I would find gunna an
acceptable term rather than castula although we may need to bow to the
authority of Traupman et al.
Final Thoughts
In 1658 Comenius’ pupils had
a book in front of them which became a best-seller in Europe for a century, a
book that encouraged youngsters to talk – not about the Romans – but
about themselves, and the world around them. He gave specific terms for
specific items and, to a very large extent, aligned the vocabulary in the same
way these posts have tried to do. He rarely used the same term for more than
one concept. Over a hundred years before Comenius, Vives was writing with
the same objective.
Are youngsters in a 21st
century classroom any different? Do they not wish – as would happen in any
other language class – to communicate in Latin as one of several means by which
vocabulary and grammar are reinforced, or should it all remain on a page or
whiteboard for passive recognition? Moreover, many adult learners also wish to
adopt the same method. While the prime focus of Latin education is, rightly,
ancient Rome, facilitating contemporary oral expression should not simply be an
afterthought.
Learners want to relate the
language to their own experiences, at which point Neo-Latin makes its entrance.
A youngster in a French class wishing to know the word for “a skirt” will
instantly be told “une jupe.” It would be outrageous for a learner in a Latin
class to be told “Here are ten to choose from.” Of course, a sensitive and
enthusiastic classroom teacher would never react in that way, any more than
Comenius or Vives did. It would, however, be a particularly acute scenario for
independent adult learners whose first ‘port of call’ may well be the maze of
the Neo-Latin Lexicon.
I hope that these posts will in some way help to address that rather unproductive situation.
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