Word of the Day: Week of 8/11

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benissimus
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Word of the Day: Week of 8/11

Post by benissimus »

It has finally arrived, after much anticipation and heartwrenching suspense! The word of the day has arrived! <br /><br />8/11- Today's Word of the Day is elucubrare, in honor of our long-absent patron, Elucubrator! As you may be able to tell, this is a verb of the 1st conjugation. It has the regular forms:<br /><br />elucubro, elucubrare, elucubravi, elucubratus<br /><br />William Whitaker's Words translation program defines it as "compose at night; burn the midnight oil over, spend the night working." This verb is obviously tied to the noun lux, lucis - f. "light," with the intensive prefix e. It also appears in the deponent form elucubror, elubrari. One reputable example of its usage (which I am borrowing from Cassel's Latin Dictionary) is:<br /><br />causae diligenter elaboratae et tanquam elucubratae -Cicero<br /><br />Hmm... not quite sure how to translate... seems a bit out of context. Someone rescue me ;)<br /><br />In conclusion, I would encourage you all to use the words "elucubrate" or "elucubration" in your everyday English, and if you get the opportunity, use elucubrare in your Latin ;D<br />___________________________________________________<br /><br />As a rule for these posts, let's keep each week in one thread, and try to choose all types of words from all different levels of learning, but try to pick obscure words (not words that we all got drilled with in our textbooks). How about we have one word per day, no one can do more than two words per week, and you can't do words in two consecutive days. I think that should just about settle it! Let's discuss if anyone has any further ideas.
flebile nescio quid queritur lyra, flebile lingua murmurat exanimis, respondent flebile ripae

Milito
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Re:Word of the Day: Week of 8/11

Post by Milito »

[quote author=benissimus link=board=3;threadid=439;start=0#3538 date=1060615597]<br /><br />causae diligenter elaboratae et tanquam elucubratae -Cicero<br /><br />Hmm... not quite sure how to translate... seems a bit out of context. Someone rescue me ;)<br />[/quote]<br /><br />Excellent choice, Benissimus!<br /><br />Here's my stab at translating....<br /><br />"The legal cases having been produced diligently, just as if laboured over by lamplight"<br /><br />Or, more colloquially, "The legal cases were diligently prepared, as though those who did the work had slaved over them far into the night."<br /><br />I'm guessing that this was from one of his Cataline conspiracy works.<br /><br />Now others can jump on my translation!<br /><br />Kilmeny

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