Could the Name 'Marcellina' be the Latin Diminutive of the Greek name Marcia?
-
- Posts: 18922
- Joined: Sun Apr 19, 2015 8:47 am
Could the Name 'Marcellina' be the Latin Diminutive of the Greek name Marcia?
If a Greek woman was named Marcia could a Latin speaker refer to her affectionately as 'Marcellina?'
- Ben C. Smith
- Posts: 8994
- Joined: Wed Apr 08, 2015 2:18 pm
- Location: USA
- Contact:
Re: Could the Name 'Marcellina' be the Latin Diminutive of the Greek name Marcia?
That seems likely to me. Marcia is of Latin origin, and both Marcia and Marcellina (and the entire Marc- family of names) appear to mean "dedicated to Mars" or the like, or so the standard etymology goes.Secret Alias wrote: ↑Mon Mar 15, 2021 10:17 pm If a Greek woman was named Marcia could a Latin speaker refer to her affectionately as 'Marcellina?'
-
- Posts: 18922
- Joined: Sun Apr 19, 2015 8:47 am
Re: Could the Name 'Marcellina' be the Latin Diminutive of the Greek name Marcia?
Thanks. What's the difference between Marcellus and Marcellinus? Marcellus and 'belong to Marcellus'?
- Ben C. Smith
- Posts: 8994
- Joined: Wed Apr 08, 2015 2:18 pm
- Location: USA
- Contact:
Re: Could the Name 'Marcellina' be the Latin Diminutive of the Greek name Marcia?
That is my supposition, yes. Just like masculum is "male," and masculinus is the adjective meaning "of or pertaining to a male," so too Marcellinus would be "of or pertaining to Marcellus," and of course Marcellus is just a diminutive of Marcus.Secret Alias wrote: ↑Thu Mar 18, 2021 5:12 pm Thanks. What's the difference between Marcellus and Marcellinus? Marcellus and 'belong to Marcellus'?
I imagine (not sure, but it would make sense) that Marcellinus was applied to a member of the family of someone named Marcellus; this would be similar to O'Brian originally having been applied to the son of (o') someone named Brian.
Marcus = a praenomen, cognate with Mars (probably).
Marcellus = diminutive of Marcus, "little Mark."
Marcellinus = member of (the family/clan of) Marcellus.