This site uses cookies. Some of these cookies are essential to the operation of the site, while others help to improve your experience by providing insights into how the site is being used. For more information, please see the ProZ.com privacy policy.
Cookie settings
  1. KudoZ™ Top
  2. Latin to English

cave pullus

English translation: CAVE PULLUM: Beware of chick!

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
Latin term or phrase:cave pullus
English translation:CAVE PULLUM: Beware of chick!
Entered by: David Wigtil

22:15 Aug 12, 2002
Latin to English translations [Non-PRO]
Latin term or phrase: cave pullus
What does the sign cave pullus mean in english?
Lindsey Lovorn
CAVE PULLUM: Beware of chick!
Explanation:
There is a famous mosaic from ancient Rome with a picture on it of a fierce dog held back with a chain. The caption reads, CAVE CANEM, "Beware of dog."

The correct Latin of your phrase should be: CAVE PULLUM. It's pronounced roughly as "KAH-way PULL-oom" in the classical style (1st century B.C.). The form PULLUM is required to show that it is the object of the verb CAVE.

--Loquamur
Ph. D. in ancient Greek, college professor of Latin, Greek, German, French, and Spanish.

Selected response from:

David Wigtil
United States
Local time: 04:05
Grading comment
Graded automatically based on peer agreement. KudoZ.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
5 +4CAVE PULLUM: Beware of chick!
David Wigtil
5 +2beware of the poet / (other possibilities)
Chris Rowson (X)
4beware of the chicken
Serge L


  

Answers


7 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
beware of the chicken


Explanation:
normally "cave canem", i.e. beware of the dog.

HTH,

Serge L.


    10 years of Latin at school and at the university
Serge L
Local time: 10:05
PRO pts in pair: 8
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

2 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +4
CAVE PULLUM: Beware of chick!


Explanation:
There is a famous mosaic from ancient Rome with a picture on it of a fierce dog held back with a chain. The caption reads, CAVE CANEM, "Beware of dog."

The correct Latin of your phrase should be: CAVE PULLUM. It's pronounced roughly as "KAH-way PULL-oom" in the classical style (1st century B.C.). The form PULLUM is required to show that it is the object of the verb CAVE.

--Loquamur
Ph. D. in ancient Greek, college professor of Latin, Greek, German, French, and Spanish.



David Wigtil
United States
Local time: 04:05
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in pair: 19
Grading comment
Graded automatically based on peer agreement. KudoZ.

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  lacplesis: I think the mosaic is from Pompeii
1 hr
  -> Thanks!
agree  Jack Doughty: If it's "Beware of the chick!" it could be someone (modern, not ancient Roman) warning you off a girl.
3 hrs
  -> Certainly...that might have been the modern author's intent, in fact.
neutral  Chris Rowson (X): If it´s meaning a girl it should be "cave pullam".
6 hrs
  -> Without actually knowing the modern author's intent, one would have to stick with Latin masculine.
agree  luskie
6 hrs
  -> Thanks!
agree  cmk (X)
200 days
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

3 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +2
beware of the poet / (other possibilities)


Explanation:
There are a number of possible meanings here. The first thing is that this form with "pullus" cannot be correct. It should probably be, as loquamur says, "cave pullum", although "cave pullam" is another possibility. The Latin root word "pullus" has to be modified, just as in "cave canem" the root word "canis" (dog) has been modified.

The basic meaning of "pullus" is a young animal, particularly a chicken, but it could be other animals. Then, by transference, it can be what scholars call "a term of endearment" - such as "darling" - "beware of the sweetie"?

But then there is a whole other class of meanings that come from "pullus" as an adjective. This basically means "dark", so your phrase could simply be a bad translation into Latin of "beware of the dark". But it could also be "beware of the dark thing/person" - so "beware of the Goth" could be meant! And another meaning that derives from this is "poet".

Chris Rowson (X)
Local time: 10:05
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in pair: 49

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Pierre POUSSIN: Might be far fetching, but I like it!
4 hrs
agree  luskie
5 hrs
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)



Login or register (free and only takes a few minutes) to participate in this question.

You will also have access to many other tools and opportunities designed for those who have language-related jobs (or are passionate about them). Participation is free and the site has a strict confidentiality policy.

Return to KudoZ list

KudoZ™ translation help

The KudoZ network provides a framework for translators and others to assist each other with translations or explanations of terms and short phrases.

See also:
ProZ.com term search
Search millions of term translations
Close search
Term search
  • All of ProZ.com
  • Term search
  • Jobs
  • Forums
  • Multiple search