Neo-Latin Should Be Fixed
Introduction
No, this isn’t about the names that have been named after bad people or named offensively (e.g. when scientists changed the epitheta caffer to affer (though it should be further changed to afer)). This is about how scientific names are being designed to be read in English instead of Latin.
Take the epithet “chaoyangénsis”. To a classical Latin speaker, this is read as khah-oh-ü-ang-GẼY-sihs (/kʰa.o.y.aŋˈɡẽː.sɪs/) (ecclesiastical not much better), but in English, it is chow-yohng-(G)EHN-sihs, which is closer to the original Chinese 朝陽 Cháoyáng /ʈ͡ʂʰɑʊ̯³⁵.jɑŋ³⁵/ + -énsis /ẽː.sɪs/. A reasonable replacement to this name would be “thšavjangénsis” (/tʰʃaw.jaŋˈɡẽː.sɪs/), but more likely “thsavjangénsis” (/tʰsaw.jaŋˈɡẽː.sɪs/) with the caveat of merging with a hypothetical *Caoyang-énsis. For ecclesiastical, it should be “ciaujangénsis”
Orthography
Some important notes are:
- long vowels indicated with the following: ÁÉꟾÓÚÝáéíóúý
- ⟨k⟩ is never used; only ⟨c⟩, even in rare outlier words like kalendae (-> calendæ)
- capitals are used as the writer wants; it is recommended to use them like in Spanish though
- ⟨vu⟩ & ⟨quu⟩ do not change
- ⟨gu⟩ as in ⟨lingua⟩ is still ⟨gu⟩
- most diphthongs are respelled
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- ⟨ui⟩ -> ⟨uj⟩
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- ⟨ei⟩ -> ⟨ej⟩
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- ⟨eu⟩ -> ⟨ev⟩
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- ⟨oe⟩ -> ⟨œ⟩
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- ⟨ae⟩ -> ⟨æ⟩
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- ⟨au⟩ -> ⟨av⟩
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- diphthongs are split with diareses
-
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- not always; since ⟨eu⟩ -> ⟨ev⟩, ⟨meus⟩ stays as ⟨meus⟩
-
(unfinished)
Table
here is a table that shows some examples of how Neo-Latin should work
food
| word | for classical | for ecclesiastical | notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| gnocco-gnocchi (Italian food) | globulus(/-í) italicus(/-í) | globulus(/-í) italicus/(-í) | |
| paella (Valencian food) | patina arýzæ | patella | |
| kimchi-kimchi (korean food) | címtsus-címtsí | chimcius-chimcií | |
| icecream | gelátum | gelátum | |
| gelato (Italian icecream) | gelátum italicum | gelátum italicum | |
| stracciatella (type of gelato) | gelátum extractellum | gelatum extractellum |
concepts
| word | for classical | for ecclesiastical | notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| computer | computáculum | computáculum | |
| phone | computácellum | computácellum | |
| artificial inteligence | intellegentia ficticia | intellegentia ficticia | |
| Rubik’s Cube | cubus Rubicí | cubus Rubicí |
countries and places
| word | for classical | for ecclesiastical | notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Marino (European country) | Sánctus Marínus; Rés Pública Sánctí Maríní | Sánctus Marínus; … | rés… is the official name |
| US | Ameríca Minor; Cívitátés Fœderátæ Amerícæ | Ameríca Minor; … | cív… is the official name |
| Iran | Persia Major; Rés Pública Persiæ | Persia Major; … | rés… is the official name |
| Taiwan | Tævania; Rés Pública Sinárum | Tævania; … | rés… is the official name |
| Japan | Japonia | Japonia | |
| France | Gallia; Rés Pública Galla | Gallia, … | rés… is the official name |
| Spain | Gallia; Rés Pública Galla | Gallia, … | rés… is the official name |
| Russia | Rúthénia; Fœderátió Rúthénica | Rúthénia, … | fœd… is the official name |
| Antarctica | Terra Austrális | Terra Austrális | |
| Alofi (Niue capital) | Alofipolis | Alofipolis | |
| Kiritimati (Kiribati island) | ínsula Nátívitátis | ínsula Nátívitátis | |
| New Jersey (US state) | Nova Cæsaréa | Nova Cæsaréa | |
| Santa Cruz (US city) | Sáncta Crux | Sáncta Crux | |
| Lviv (Ukraine city) | Leopolis | Leopolis | |
| Derby (UK city) | Derventió Coritánorum | Derventio Coritanorum | |
| Derbeian (from Derby) | (Coritáni)Derventianus | (Coritáni)Derventianus | |
| Ionian (someone from Ionia) | Jóniacus | Jóniacus | |
| Hawaii | Havajia | Hauajia |
names
| word | for classical | for ecclesiastical | notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shakespeare | Seixpírus | Sceixpirus | |
| Kevin | Cœmgenus (Cœngenus) | Cœmgenus (Cœngenus) | |
| Walter | Gualterius | Gualterius | |
| Watson | Gualteriius | Gualteriius | |
| John | Jóannés | Jóannés | |
| Johnson | Jóannius | Jóannius | |
| Thomas | Thómás | Thómás | |
| Thompson | Thómius | Thómius | |
| Thompson | Thómius | Thómius | |
| Zoë | Zóé | Zóé | |
| Nicholas, Nick, Colin | Nícoláus | Nícoláus | |
| (any surname derived from Nicholas) | Nícoláius | Nícoláius | |
| Santa Claus | Pater Nátívitátis | Pater Nátívitátis | literally, “Father Christmas” |
| Mrs. Claus | Máter Nátívitátis | Máter Nátívitátis | literally, “Mother Christmas” |
| JRR Tolkien | Jóannés Reginaldus Reúél Tolcinus/Tolcius | same |
Conclusion
In conclusion, the principles that latin names should be based on are the following
- For all Neo-Latin terms,
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- always prioritize the classical prounciation over the english one
- For modern concepts,
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- prioritize a roman concept with an adjective adding detail if it is similar enough
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- for a concept tied to a place, a loan for it should come from the word there
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- for a non-localized concept, calque it from english
- For place names,
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- prioritize the name for a Roman settlement or Roman name for places that had ones
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- calque it if possible (note: saint, san, etc -> sánctus; not -polis)
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- make sure that loaned names are read as close to the origin as possible and prioritize the aspects that are distinctive in the native language
- For people’s names,
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- prioritize the Latin name if it comes from one
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- make sure it is read like the original if it is not equated
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- add a note of what the original name and spelling is after the first mention of the name, especially if in a biography
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