Latin Peeps Represent!

[demiurgent]

Folks who know from Latin:

I know that the Italian word 'cognoscenti' is derived from the Latin word cognosco. However, I've got a sense that 'cognoscenti' itself is also Latin. Is it? If not, what would the appropriate Latin word be for 'enlightened ones?'

Comments

[hkr.livejournal.com]

My boyfriend says:

The present active participle of "cognosco" is "cognoscens" (genitive "cognoscentis"). This would mean, roughly, "one who is knowing", and its plural form would be "cognoscentes". "Cognoscenti" is simply a slightly Italianised form of this word.

Still, I don't know that "cognoscentes" is the most appropriate. Another possibility is "illuminati", seriously, "the illuminated ones". Where do you think the word came from, heh. But probably that word has too many other associations to be useful to you.

[turandot.livejournal.com]

"Cognoscentes" sounds about right actually.

[demiurgent.livejournal.com]

Oh, yay on opera references in usernames!

[demiurgent.livejournal.com]

cognoscentes would be perfect, actually. Thank you! And thank your boyfriend!

[the-gneech.livejournal.com]

How about "philologus" for "learned"?

-The Gneech

[howardtayler.livejournal.com]

Or maybe phallologus for "knows dick."

[gwalla.livejournal.com]

philo- is a Greek combining form. Not Latin.

[demiurgent.livejournal.com]

So... like Devastator in a toga?

[aquamarcia.livejournal.com]

I had a similiar issue when working on the name of my Vox blog (http://arete.vox.com/library/post/titular-thanks.html).

[graydown.livejournal.com]

Illuminati? :D

[ravelwoods.livejournal.com]

I wish I could get help with the latin in my stories. I always end up just butchering it until it looks right to uneducated eyes.

[legwork.livejournal.com]

Illuminati. Literally, "those who are in the light," i.e. "enlightened."

Not cognoscentes. It just means those who are "knowing" or "understanding." Sapientes means just "knowing," not necessarily "understanding." Homo sapiens knows, but need not be understanding or wise.

[demiurgent.livejournal.com]

Ahhh, but for many reasons, "Illuminati" won't work.

re: whitaker's latin words

[ahniwa.livejournal.com]

Whitaker's (http://lysy2.archives.nd.edu/cgi-bin/words.exe?cognoscenti) accepts both 'cognoscenti' and 'cognoscens' as singular nouns, with the same meaning. Cut and pasted:

cognoscent.i N 3 3 LOC S M Early
cognoscent.i N 3 3 DAT S M
cognoscent.i N 3 3 ABL S M
cognoscens, cognoscentis N M [XLXDO] lesser
judge; inquisitor; one taking part/conducting a judicial investigation;

and

cognoscens N 3 3 NOM S M
cognoscens N 3 3 VOC S M
cognoscens, cognoscentis N M [XLXDO] lesser
judge; inquisitor; one taking part/conducting a judicial investigation;

So perhaps you could use either?

Cheers, Ahniwa (http://ahniwa.com)