[i] nouns: places and activity
commercium, -ī [2/n]: trade; commerce
mercātūra, -ae [1/f]: merchandizing
also: mercātus, -ūs [4/m]
merx, mercis [3/f]: goods; merchandise
mercimōnium, -ī [2/n]: merchandise
taberna, -ae [1/f]: shop; stall
[ii] (Mercēs) … expōnuntur vēnum │ Goods … are displayed for sale
vēnum: an accusative masculine noun used in compounds to express ‘for sale’
vēnumdō, -are [1]: (literally) to give for sale; this form was shortened to vendō, -ere [3]: sell
[iii] nouns: money
monēta, -ae [1/f]: coin; money; can also refer to the place where money is produced i.e. the mint
also: nummus, -ī [2/m]: coin
pecūnia, -ae [1/f]: money
pretium, -ī [2/n]: price
[iv] nouns: measurement
lībra, -ae [1/f]: balance; pound; scales
ulna, -ae [1/f]: [i] elbow [ii] a measurement of length, an ell [England: 45 inches; Scotland: 37 inches]; the text uses eln which is a Middle English form
also: cubitum, -ī [2/n]: [i] elbow [ii] a measurement of length, a cubit, the distance from the tip of the middle finger to the elbow. This was an informal measurement but could refer to between 35 and 60cm.
Et sīc faciēs eam: trecentōrum cubitōrum erit longitūdō arcae, quīnquāgintā cubitōrum lātitūdō, et trīgintā cubitōrum altitūdō illīus. Fenestram in arcā faciēs, et in cubitō cōnsummābis summitātem eius (Vulgate)
And you shall make it in this way: the length of the ark will be three hundred cubits, the width fifty cubits, and its height thirty cubits. You shall make a window in the ark, and in a cubit you shall finish the top of it
[v] nouns: people
emptor, -ōris [3/m]: purchaser; buyer < emō, -ere, ēmī, ēmptus: buy
tabernārius, -ī [2/m]: shopkeeper
venditor, -ōris [3/m]: seller
scrūtārius, -iī [2/m]: this is a rare word with different meanings [i] dealer in second-hand clothes; [ii] inspector; [iii] broker i.e. a mediator between buyer and seller. It is derived from scrūta, -ōrum [2/n/pl]: rubbish, broken trash, the word exists in English as scrutiny.
circumforāneus, -a, -us: moving from market to market; itinerant. Comenius uses the adjective as a noun to describe pedlars or hawkers i.e.those who move from place to place selling goods. The literal meaning of the adjective is ‘around the forum’ and refers to those who did not have fixed premises in the market place but wandered around it while conducting business.
mercātor, -ōris [3/m]: merchant
Tabernāriī, circumforāneī, & scrūtāriī, etiam volunt dīcī mercātōrēs │ Shopkeepers, pedlars, and brokers, would also be called merchants.
i.e. mercātor is used in a very general sense to refer to anybody who is involved in buying, selling and trading. Cicero uses the term to refer to a purchaser of goods:
… in Achāiam, Asiam, Pamphȳliam sūmptū pūblicō et lēgātiōnis nōmine mercātor signōrum tabulārumque pictārum missus est.
… he was sent at the public expense, and with the title of ambassador, into Achaia, Asia, and Pamphylia as a purchaser of statues and paintings.
[vi] verbs (1)
addīcō, -ere [3]: (here) ‘deliver’ in the sense of assign something to the highest bidder
commūtō, -āre [1]: exchange; barter
expōnō, -ere [3]: display; set out
indicō, -āre [1]: show; declare
mēnsūrō, -āre [1]: measure; estimate
ostentō, -āre [1]: show; show off; that the translator uses ‘braggeth’ is conveying the second sense
- Venditor ostentat │ the seller boasts – and they still do! You can hear them bragging loudly about their products in markets everywhere.
ponderō, -āre [1]: weigh
vendō, -ere [3]: sell
[vii]
afferō, afferre [irregular]: bring (to); convey
offerō, offerre [irreg.]: offer
irregular verbs (level 3); fero and its compounds
verbs (2)
The text contains both [1] passive verb forms, and [2] deponent verbs
[1]
- Mercēs … commūtantur … expōnuntur vēnum … venduntur
Goods … are exchanged … (are) displayed for sale … (are) sold
Perfect passive participles:
- Mercēs … aliunde allātae … mēnsūrātae … ponderātae
Goods (having been) brought from somewhere else … (having been) measured … (having been) weighed
Passive infinitive:
- etiam volunt dīcī mercātōrēs
(They) also want to be called merchants.
https://adckl.blogspot.com/search/label/passive%20voice
[2] deponent verbs: look passive, but are active in meaning
Some 17th century haggling:
[i] liceor, -ērī [2/deponent]: bid (for); make an offer (for)
- Emptor licētur │ The buyer ‘cheapneth’ i.e. makes a bid / an offer
[ii] By extension:
- Sī quis contrālicētur │ If any one bids against him i.e. makes a counteroffer
[iii] polliceor, -ēre [2/deponent]: promise
Comenius constructs this text well, and he shows both a passive and a deponent verb in the same sentence:
- eī rēs addīcitur [passive] quī pollicētur [deponent] plūrimum │ the thing is delivered to the one who promises the most
https://adckl.blogspot.com/search/label/deponent%20verbs
