What does classical latin mean?
Definitions for classical latin
clas·si·cal latin
This dictionary definitions page includes all the possible meanings, example usage and translations of the word classical latin.
Princeton's WordNet
classical Latinnoun
the language of educated people in ancient Rome
"Latin is a language as dead as dead can be. It killed the ancient Romans--and now it's killing me"
Wiktionary
Classical Latinnoun
The Latin language as spoken and written in formal speeches, literature, the arts, etc., by the ancient Romans.
Wikipedia
Classical Latin
Classical Latin is the form of Literary Latin recognized as a literary standard by writers of the late Roman Republic and early Roman Empire. It was used from 75 BC to the 3rd century AD, when it developed into Late Latin. In some later periods, it was regarded as good or proper Latin, with following versions viewed as debased, degenerate, or corrupted. The word Latin is now understood by default to mean "Classical Latin"; for example, modern Latin textbooks almost exclusively teach Classical Latin. Cicero and his contemporaries of the late republic referred to the Latin language, in contrast to other languages such as Greek, as lingua latina or sermo latinus. They distinguished the common vernacular, however, as Vulgar Latin (sermo vulgaris and sermo vulgi), in contrast to the higher register that they called latinitas, sometimes translated as "Latinity". Latinitas was also called sermo familiaris ("speech of the good families"), sermo urbanus ("speech of the city"), and in rare cases sermo nobilis ("noble speech"). Besides the noun Latinitas, it was referred to with the adverb latine ("in (good) Latin", literally "Latinly") or its comparative latinius ("in better Latin", literally "more Latinly"). Latinitas was spoken and written. It was the language taught in schools. Prescriptive rules therefore applied to it, and when special subjects like poetry or rhetoric were taken into consideration, additional rules applied. Since spoken Latinitas has become extinct (in favor of subsequent registers), the rules of politus (polished) texts may give the appearance of an artificial language. However, Latinitas was a form of sermo (spoken language), and as such, retains spontaneity. No texts by Classical Latin authors are noted for the type of rigidity evidenced by stylized art, with the exception of repetitious abbreviations and stock phrases found on inscriptions.
ChatGPT
classical latin
Classical Latin refers to the formal language of the ancient Romans, used from the 1st century B.C. to the 2nd century A.D. It was adopted by the educated and the official classes of Rome, and it is distinguished from Vulgar Latin, which was the everyday speech of the common people. Much of the classical Latin that remains today comes from works of literature and historiography, speeches, and letters of notable individuals like Cicero, Caesar, Virgil, and Horace. It became the predecessor of the Romance languages, and is widely taught in schools and universities. It also continues to be used in legal, scientific, and theological contexts.
Wikidata
Classical Latin
Classical Latin is the modern term used to describe the form of the Latin language recognized as standard by writers of the late Roman Republic and the Roman Empire. In some later periods it was regarded as "good" Latin, with later versions being seen as debased or corrupt. The word "Latin" is now taken by default as meaning "Classical Latin", so that, for example, modern Latin text books describe classical Latin. Marcus Tullius Cicero and his contemporaries of the late republic, while using lingua Latina and sermo Latinus to mean the Latin language as opposed to the Greek or other languages, and sermo vulgaris or sermo vulgi to refer to the vernacular of the uneducated and less-educated masses, regarded the speech they valued most and in which they wrote as Latinitas, "Latinity", with the implication of good. Sometimes it is called sermo familiaris, "speech of the good families", sermo urbanus, "speech of the city" or rarely sermo nobilis, "noble speech", but mainly besides Latinitas it was Latine, "in good Latin", or Latinius, "good Latin." Latinitas was spoken as well as written. Moreover, it was the language taught by the schools. Prescriptive rules therefore applied to it, and where a special subject was concerned, such as poetry or rhetoric, additional rules applied as well. Now that the spoken Latinitas has become extinct the rules of the, for the most part, polished texts may give the appearance of an artificial language, but Latinitas was a form of sermo, or spoken language and as such retains a spontaneity. No authors are noted for the type of rigidity evidenced by stylized art, except possibly the repetitious abbreviations and stock phrases of inscriptions.
Matched Categories
Numerology
Chaldean Numerology
The numerical value of classical latin in Chaldean Numerology is: 8
Pythagorean Numerology
The numerical value of classical latin in Pythagorean Numerology is: 9
Examples of classical latin in a Sentence
It's a philosophical library of Epicurean texts from a time when this philosophy influenced the most important classical Latin authors, such as Virgil, Horace and Cicero, there needs to be much work before one can virtually unroll carbonized papyrus because one will have to develop a digital method that will allow us to follow the layers.
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"classical latin." Definitions.net. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 7 Dec. 2024. <https://www.definitions.net/definition/classical+latin>.
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