does anyone know of any good (available) books or websites that list and explain latin idioms, especially in relation to the evolution of word meanings.
with other languages, i’ve found that idioms give me a better understanding of the words used in the idioms and often even the language itself. i’m hoping latin is no different.
i thought of just doing a google search, but i don’t think i’m good enough at latin to judge the quality of what i find.
any help will be much appreciated.
the finest books on Latin idiom are as follows:
Idiomatologia Anglo-Latina, siue dictionarium idiomaticum Anglo-Latinum… cui accessit istiusmodi phrasium & idiomatum additio in utraque lingua ad minus trium millium (W. Walker; W. Taylor, 1708),
A vocabulary of Latin Idioms and Phrases (Stedman; Methuen, 1894)
Latin exercises as dictated by the late James Melvin … To which are prefixed, Dissertations on a variety of Latin idioms and constructions. (P. Calder; Maclachlan & Stewart, 1857)
Latin idioms and phrases (Dale; OUP, 1933)
A Latin phrase book for the use of preparatory schools (OUP, 1931)
Latin phrase book (trans. by H. W. Auden from Meissner’s German orig.; Macm., 1894; repr. Duckworth 1981-now p.o.d.)
all but the last need a bit of hunting, but as with all of the finest things in life: no effort, no result.
~D
were i able to find most of those, i doubt i could afford them.
most of the above are small school textbooks, so unless you are a woman of quite inconceivably small means (for on a good day they will cost c.$3) they should be available to you.
i may also mention
Latin and English Idiom: an object lesson from Livy’s preface (Naylor; CUP, 1909)
and the critically-acclaimed sequel:
More Latin and English Idiom: an object-lesson from Livy XXXIV. 1-8 (Naylor; CUP, 1915 - 220pp. no less.)
~D