little Latin question: frumentum & corn

[serendipitous journey]

Re: little Latin question: frumentum & corn

Thanks, Bonnie and Michael!

Latin is too cool.

[Michael]

Re: little Latin question: frumentum & corn

I love this thread! It reminds me of another "misleading" translation that is surprisingly common in older texts: car for currus. That translation always make me imagine men in togas driving down some via

Thanks for the question, Ana!

[Bonnie]

Re: little Latin question: frumentum & corn

You are correct that frumentum means grain and that "corn" is a term that the British traditionally have used for grain in general. Hence you have British translators of Caesar's Gallic War writing of the "corn" in Gaul, whereas Americans would say "grain."

Of course the grain in Gaul (France) was wheat, and perhaps some barley, but definitely not maize. But "corn" persists because of the many translations and commentaries about The Gallic War by so many British scholars, including (my favorite) T. Rice Holmes, often cited in the Henle text.

I love this question!
Bonnie

[serendipitous journey]

Re: little Latin question: frumentum & corn

Ana,
Ha! That is such an interesting observation! Good catch!

AMDG,
Sarah

I'm sort of avoiding my Serious Thinking Responsibilities right now ... It is fun to have a neat little puzzle with no Major Ramifications at all!

[KF2000]

Re: little Latin question: frumentum & corn

Ana,
Ha! That is such an interesting observation! Good catch!

AMDG,
Sarah

[serendipitous journey]

I am just wondering ... our TFL book, in lesson 7, mentions that in the singular "frumentum" can mean grain or corn (plural means crop). I'm wondering if the "corn" part of that definition is a holdover from British usage, in which corn means grain generally, because since corn is a New World grain it is pretty much the one category of grain ancient Romans would never have been talking about.

Essentially, I'd usually have the child translate it as either grain or "wheat" (an imprecise translation, but covering some of the species Romans might have eaten) but if the history of Latin translation is such that corn is the standard I imagine it makes sense to stick with that.