WTI Magazine #54    2015 February, 20
Author : Manuela Bianchi for learnitalygroup.com      Translation by:

Latin, which is no longer spoken nowadays, is still alive in many words that we the Italians still use. We can find a few Latin words and expressions in sports coverage, in advertising, in the official badges of our cities, in legal language and in the everyday language.

Let's start with some simple Latin prepositions that should be somewhat familiar to everybody: to enhance the superiority of something (for example of a product) we add the keyword "super" (literally, superior), and not only in Italian: think about Superman! To say that something is exceptional, out of the ordinary, we can add the word "extra" (literally, outside of): for example, we find the "extra-virgin olive oil" in supermarkets, where we also find "extra strong" food and drinks. With these Latin prepositions very often used as prefixes, Italian language has added an almost endless array of new words such as "superstrada" (expressway), "supermercato" (supermarket), "extraurbano" (suburban), "ultrarapido" (high-speed), "ultramoderno" (ultramodern).

Many cities carry Latin words in their official badges, and without going into a boring list section we provide the example of the capital, Rome, with its motto SPQR ie "Senatus PopulusQue Romanus" (The Roman Senate and people). In the language of politicians, bureaucrats and judges we find other crystallized Latin expressions such as "interim" (literally, acting) like somebody who temporary is in a position which is not his/hers, covering for it before the arrive of he/she who will be appointed for it; "a priori" (literally, from the earlier) indicates knowledge or justification which is independent of experience: for example "a priori tutti gli scapoli non sono sposati" (a priori, all bachelors are unmarried); "ultimatum" (literally, the last one) is a demand whose fulfillment is requested in a specified period of time and which is backed up by a threat to be followed through in case of noncompliance; "una tantum"(literally, once only).

But in our dialogues we often use Latin expressions, especially when we want to assign a higher and more important tone to our speech. Among the many examples we can mention common expressions like "ad hoc" (literally, for this), meaning something precisely designed for a specific problem or task (for example, we can "indossare un abito ad hoc" (wear an "ad hoc" suit) or "fare un lavoro ad hoc" (to do an "ad hoc" job); "carpe diem" (literally, seize the day), meaning to enjoy the moment, to take advantage of the opportunities arising in the day; "inter nos" (literally, between us); "sine causa" (literally, with no reason); "lupus in fabula" (literally, the wolf in the fable), indicating when somebody talks about somebody else, and then that somebody else just shows up unannounced; "aut aut" (literally, either/or). And so on.

Plural in the overabundant nouns
Last time we begun to talk about plural but, as we mentioned, the topic is a very broad one. This time we focus on the so-called "overabundant nouns". What are they? We can define overabundant those nouns that have two plurals, almost always with different meanings.

In fact, a few masculine nouns ending in –o have either a regular plural in –i and a second plural in -a. Some examples: "braccio" (arm) has one plural in –i ("bracci", used to refer to objects or things, for example "i bracci del candelabro", ie the branches of the candelabrum) and a second plural in –a ("braccia", arms). "Ciglio" (eyelash) can become "cigli" if we refer to the edges or margins of a ditch, a road, a forest, or "ciglia" (eyelashes). "Corno" (horn) can become "corna" (horns, when referring to animals) or "corni" (cornets, the instrument). "Fondamento" (foundation, base) can become "fondamenti" (fundamentals) when we refer to the theoretical basis of something, or "fondamenta" (foundations, bases) when we talk about the wall structure at the base of a building.

Even the word "muro" (wall) gets two plurals: one is "muri" when referring to the structure of a building, the othewr is "mura" when referring to the ancient defensive walls of a city, a castle or a building. Finally we can mention the example of "membro" (member), which becomes "membri" (members) when applied to people who belong to a company, an organization, a group, etc. or "membra" (limbs) when referring to parts of the human or animal body.

Finally, always remember that some names retain the plural in -a only in fixed expressions such as "calcagno" (heel), "cervello" (brain), "cuoio" (scalp): "avere qualcuno alle calcagna" (literally, to have someone at one's heels) means to have somebody hot on our heels; "far saltare le cervella a qualcuno" (literally, to make somebody's brain jump) means to blow one's brains out; "tirare le cuoia" (literally, to pull the scalps) means to die.