Changes

The Latin language has several different verbs corresponding to the English word "love."   

The Latin language has several different verbs corresponding to the English word "love."   

      

      

''Amāre'' is the basic word for ''to love'', as it still is in Italian today. The Romans used it both in an [[affection]]ate sense as well as in a romantic or sexual sense. From this verb come ''amans''—a lover, amator, "professional lover," often with the accessory notion of lechery—and ''amica'', "girlfriend" in the English sense, often as well being applied euphemistically to a prostitute. The corresponding noun is ''amor'', which is also used in the plural form to indicate love affairs or sexual adventures. This same root also produces ''amicus''—"friend"—and ''amicitia'', "friendship" (often based to mutual advantage, and corresponding sometimes more closely to "indebtedness" or "influence"). Cicero wrote a treatise called ''On Friendship'' (''de Amicitia''), which discusses the notion at some length. Ovid wrote a guide to dating called Art of Love-''Ars Amatoria'', which addresses, in depth, everything from extramarital affairs to overprotective parents.   

''Amāre'' is the basic [[word]] for ''to love'', as it still is in Italian today. The Romans used it both in an [[affection]]ate sense as well as in a romantic or sexual sense. From this verb come ''amans''—a lover, amator, "professional lover," often with the accessory notion of lechery—and ''amica'', "girlfriend" in the English sense, often as well being applied euphemistically to a prostitute. The corresponding noun is ''amor'', which is also used in the plural form to indicate love affairs or sexual adventures. This same root also produces ''amicus''—"friend"—and ''amicitia'', "friendship" (often based to mutual advantage, and corresponding sometimes more closely to "indebtedness" or "influence"). Cicero wrote a treatise called ''On Friendship'' (''de Amicitia''), which discusses the notion at some length. Ovid wrote a guide to dating called Art of Love-''Ars Amatoria'', which addresses, in depth, everything from extramarital affairs to overprotective parents.   

      

      

Complicating the picture somewhat, [[Latin]] sometimes uses ''amāre'' where [[English]] would simply say ''to like''. This notion, however, is much more generally expressed in Latin by ''placere'' or ''delectāre'', which are used more colloquially, the latter used frequently in the love poetry of Catullus.   

Complicating the picture somewhat, [[Latin]] sometimes uses ''amāre'' where [[English]] would simply say ''to like''. This notion, however, is much more generally expressed in Latin by ''placere'' or ''delectāre'', which are used more colloquially, the latter used frequently in the love poetry of Catullus.