M.E. = Middle English? M.L. =? L. =?

Forums: English, Esl, Grammar
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Context:

tortoise
1550s, altered (perhaps by infl. of porpoise) from M.E. tortuse (late 15c.), tortuce (mid-15c.), tortuge (late 14c.), from M.L. tortuca (mid-13c.), perhaps from L.L. tartaruchus "of the underworld" (see turtle). Others propose a connection with L. tortus "twisted," based on the shape of the feet. The classical L. word was testudo, from testa "shell." First record of tortoise shell as a coloring pattern is from 1782.

More:

http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?search=tortoise&searchmode=none

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Type: Question • Score: 0 • Views: 693 • Replies: 6

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View best answer, chosen by oristarA

@oristarA,

L would refer to Latin e.g. Early Latin, Middle Latin, Late Latin. Many languages adopted many Latin words from the Romans such as plumbing. Plumbum is Latin for lead and it was used in plumbing. It has been theorized that lead poisoning may have contributed heavily to the decline of the Roman Empire. See many of the emperors were crazy like Caligula and Nero.

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@oristarA,

ME does refer to Middle English.

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@talk72000,

talk72000 wrote:

L would refer to Latin e.g. Early Latin, Middle Latin, Late Latin. Many languages adopted many Latin words from the Romans such as plumbing. Plumbum is Latin for lead and it was used in plumbing. It has been theorized that lead poisoning may have contributed heavily to the decline of the Roman Empire. See many of the emperors were crazy like Caligula and Nero.

Interesting.

Thank you both

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M.L. refers to Medieval Latin.

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@InfraBlue,

InfraBlue wrote:

M.L. refers to Medieval Latin.

Cool.

Middle Latin = Medieval Latin.

Thanks.

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@oristarA,

There is, or was, no "Middle Latin."

There was Archaic Latin,
Classical Latin,
Vulgar Latin,
Medieval Latin,
and Renaissance Latin
as classified by most scholars.

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M.E. = Middle English? M.L. =? L. =?

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