Language/Latin/Vocabulary/Dining-and-Meals
Latin is a language with a rich cultural history in cuisine and dining. In this lesson, you will learn expressions related to dining and meals in Latin, including meal times, table settings, and etiquette. Through this lesson, you will gain a deeper understanding of Latin culture and customs.
Meal Times
In Latin culture, meal times play an important role in daily life. Here are some commonly used expressions related to meal times:
| Latin | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| prandium | [pran̪ˈd̪ɪ.ũː] | lunch |
| cena | [ˈkɛ.na] | dinner/supper |
| merenda | [mɛˈrɛn.da] | snack |
| tempestivus | [tɛm.pɛsˈti.wus] | timely |
| serotinus | [sɛˈrɔ.t̪ɪ.nus] | late |
- Latin speakers typically eat a light lunch, or prandium, around noon or early afternoon.
- The main meal of the day, cena, is typically eaten in the early evening.
- Romans often enjoyed a small snack, or merenda, in the mid-afternoon.
- The word tempestivus means "timely", indicating that punctuality was important when it came to meal times.
- The word serotinus means "late", indicating that tardiness was not well-received in Roman society.
Table Settings
Here are some Latin expressions related to table settings:
| Latin | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| discus | [ˈd̪ɪs.kus] | plate |
| culter | [ˈkʊl.t̪ɛr] | knife |
| furca | [ˈfʊr.ka] | fork |
| cibus | [ˈki.bʊs] | food |
| potus | [ˈpɔ.t̪ʊs] | drink |
| salinum | [saˈli.nũː] | salt cellar |
| acetabulum | [a.kɛˈta.bu.lʊ̃ˑ] | vinegar cruet |
- The Latin word for plate is discus.
- Culter, the Latin word for knife, is derived from the same root as the English word "cut".
- Furca, the Latin word for fork, is likely the origin of the word "fork" in English.
- Cibus means "food" in Latin, while potus means "drink".
- Salinum refers to a salt cellar, a container for storing salt.
- Acetabulum refers to a vinegar cruet, a container for storing vinegar.
Etiquette
Roman society placed great importance on proper etiquette during meals. Here are some expressions related to dining etiquette:
| Latin | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| gratias agere | [ˈɡra.t̪ɪ.as ˈa.ɡɛ.rɛ] | to say thank you |
| ad bibendum | [ad bɪˈbɛn.d̪ũː] | to drink |
| mensa | [ˈmɛn.sa] | table |
| impletus | [ɪmˈpleː.t̪ʊs] | full |
| triclinium | [trɪˈklɪ.ni.ũː] | dining room |
- Gratias agere means "to say thank you" in Latin. It was customary to express gratitude at the end of a meal.
- Ad bibendum is a phrase meaning "to drink", commonly used during toasts.
- Mensa, meaning "table" in Latin, was often used in reference to the dining table.
- Impletus means "full", indicating that it was not appropriate to overeat at a meal.
- The Roman dining room was called the triclinium, which had three couches arranged around a table.
Conclusion
Dining and meals played a significant role in Latin culture, and the language reflects this through a variety of expressions related to meal times, table settings, and etiquette. By learning these expressions, you will gain a deeper understanding of Latin culture and customs.