Latin question ds asked and I can't answer...

[Jayne J]

We are doing Prima Latina this year, and one of the vocab. words is "supero." The definition given in the book is "I conquer". Later on, the practical latin saying "veni, vidi, vici" is given, translated "I came, I saw, I conquered." Ds asked why vici was used instead of supero, and I couldn't answer him. My Latin is just a pinch better than his now. I do understand that words change between past tense and present tense, but this seems to be a different word altogether, not an issue of tense. Anyone know why the words are different?

 

TIA!

[pooh bear]

I thought the supero meant overcome.

 

I conquer is vinco

 

But then we are only on Chp 5 of Latin Prep.

[Dmmetler]

Because when you're going for public attention alliteration sells. It works today, and it worked then, too!

[NineChoirs]

I called my husband (the resident latin teacher) to ask him this question. He said that the two words are synonyms, two different words with the same meaning. The reason vici is used in the phrase instead of supero is for poetic reasons. Same as with any language the word that sounds best is used.

[NineChoirs]

DM beat me to it :001_smile:

[Jayne J]

Thank you! I wasn't sure if Latin really had many synonyms. We English speakers are pretty spoiled for choice when it comes to synonyms, but most other languages get by with many fewer words. I'm glad we have resident Hive experts!

[Dawn E]

This throws dd also with the saying "Work conquers all" because vincit is used and not superat which she wants to use.

[Kates]

Yep, there are several synonyms in Latin. Each has a similar meaning, but with a different "flavor". Conquer vs. overcome, etc.

 

When you get to the base of it, they're built on different "word pictures" and concepts - they translate to the same basic word in English (which is really rather vague in many ways when compared to many ancient languages), but they have different implications when you look into the root meaning.