Translating across Cultures

"How can that one word mean those two, totally different things?"

 

     This question was asked by several of my students recently. The Latin word in question, ignavus, can be translated as "cowardly" or as "lazy." To the mind of a modern English-speaker, this is troubling: laziness and cowardliness are two very different ideas. How could the Romans use the same word for both?

     To the ancient Roman mind, laziness and cowardliness were essentially the same thing: unwillingness to perform some labor. What difference does it make if one is unwilling for fear of exertion or harm? (We should not be surprised at this attitude from a culture whose word vir means both "man" and "hero.")
     Let's look at an example in the other direction to illuminate this point. Look at the following four perfectly ordinary sentences: "I love my wife." "I love my brother." "I love my dog." "I love Flyers Specials." We use one word, "love," to describe all four of those (hopefully) very different relationships. If we could reverse time and make the Romans learn English, they would tear their hair out trying to understand how we could possibly use the same word for all of those, instead of differentiating between diligere, amare, and caritas - different kinds of "love."

     This is a good opportunity to stop and reflect upon the nature of translating an ancient language into a modern one. When you translate from Latin into English, you aren't just translating from one language into another: you are translating from one culture into another, across thousands of miles and years and changes in the world.
     This is part of why translating accurately can be so difficult: how do you communicate the intention of one author from one cultural worldview to an audience in a completely different cultural worldview - without losing his meaning?

On Derivatives and Etymology

     We talked at length in class about using derivatives to figure out the meanings of unfamiliar Latin words. If you see a Latin word and have no idea what it means, try to think of an English word you know that looks similar to it. (Specifically, the similarity should be the same spelling of the root of the words.)
     An example from class: the Latin word ignis has not yet appeared in your textbooks, but many of you figured out that it translates "fire" by looking at its English derivatves "ignite" and "igneous."
     In class, we talked about using English words to figure out Latin vocabulary. As we accumulate Latin words, you will be able to do the same mental process in reverse - use Latin vocabulary you know to illuminate the meanings of unfamiliar English words. (This is what most people have in mind when they say that studying Latin prepares you for the SAT.)
     As promised, the eargerly-awaited link to the Online Etymology Dictionary is below. Here is how I recommend you use this powerful tool: Whenever you are reading (in English) and you see a word you do not recognize, instead of (or in addition to) looking it up in an ordinary dictionary, look it up in this online dictionary. This way, you will not only learn a new English word, but also expand your Latin vocabulary simultaneously.

Online Etymology Dictionary:

http://www.etymonline.com/

 

     Note that most of the words you look up, if they be of Latin descent, will first give you the French origin, and only afterwards the Latin. Do not fret: you know not only that the entire French language is derived from Latin, but also - as a Latin scholar - that the most emphatic place in any given entry is the last place.

Upcoming Exam

Information

     The next Latin I Exam will be on Thursday, Oct. 10, Day B (regular schedule). It will directly cover Chapters 3 and 4 from the textbook; however, keep in mind that the material from previous chapters will show up, simply because language can't help but be cumulative.
     The format for this test will be the same as that of the last test: you will be given sentences and asked to give specific information about them. Please remember that this exam, while in the same format, will be substantially longer and more challenging than the last one.

Advice

     1. Study specifically for this test. You know exactly how the test will be formatted, and - since you've already taken a test formatted exactly this way - you know your strengths and weaknesses when you're up against this format. You know the kinds of questions the test will ask you. Therefore, when you study, study by asking yourself exactly those kinds of questions.

     2. Study regularly. Studying a lot the night before the test may be important, but it is not sufficient. Studying every day for a brief period - say, 15-20 minutes - every day, at the same time, in the same place, will maximize your ability to memorize.

     3. Study together. While you can't take the exam together, you can pool your knowledge beforehand to maximize the value of your study time. Is there a concept you don't understand, or a vocabulary word you can't seem to remember? Some of your classmates will know exactly what to do, and you will be able to help them with some of their struggles as well. Most importantly, you gain the most thorough understanding of a difficult concept when you try to explain it to someone else.


Good luck, gentlemen.