kmp dixit:
If I were to use words from these sites (modern Latin dictionaries), would everyone here understand them?
I took a quick look at those dictionaries, and in general I see no issue using them as a guide, but I don't consider them authoritative in the same way I consider the OLD or L&S authoritative (not even the Vatican site).
There are some excellent suggestions there, and certainly cannot say that they're wrong (I, for one, would eventually understand all of them if used in a sentence; I mean, how tough is it to deduce what the word
acupunctura, -ae refers to?). But I believe some tribute has to be given to the speculation of what an ancient Roman would call something he hadn't recognized before. That's a guessing game, I know, but when I see an on-line dictionary coin a word like
abstractio, -onis for "abstraction", I respond by saying a Roman would naturally cast such a thing as "abstraction" in judicial terms, and so might use the word
notio, -onis. Again, either word is OK, but I prefer the latter.
And what about proper names? Are they to be treated as indeclinable? Isn't this the best strategy for terms like Punk Rock or Heavy Metal - the sort of thing people ask about for tatoos? I certainly don't think we should get hung up over whether the Latin word is "classical" or not. As lynx says - make one up.
For "Heavy Metal", I'm not sure I see a problem with a term like
Metallum Grave; it's a metaphorical term in English, so I would translate it "word-for-word".
But in other cases I find a little thought about the origin of the term in English can lead to a Latin possibility. "Rock" (the musical form) finds its roots in "Rock n Roll", a slang term for sex. Thus, translating this as
petra or
saxum would be completely wrong; I'd instead coin a word like
urgentum, since
urgeo is used in a veiled sexual sense by Latin poets (e.g. Horace Odes I.V.1). "Punk rock" in particular I'd translate formally as
musica urgenta fascinorum or just
musica fascinorum.
At some point, it is more sensible to simply transfer the English term phonetically, but I'm not sold on assuming they're indeclinable. The complany name "Xerox" would naturally fit as a third declension noun
Xerox, -ocis based on similar-form words.
I know one thng - I hate it when circumlocutions are used to describe modern terms. You know what I mean - saying "large machine for removing earth" for bulldozer. It makes Latin sound terribly clunky and inelegant.
I agree;
magna machina ad humum submoviendum is a ridiculous solution.
Bulldozer, -eris might be the best we can do; I'd even accept making this indeclinable.
I think if the rules for writing contemporary Latin were clearer then even a dullard like me might be encouraged to have a go.
Though I think it dates to the turn of the last century,
Bradley's Arnold is IMO still the essential standard. Every serious student should have a copy; even if he/she isn't interested in writing Latin, the exercise of looking at Latin from the "other side" will greatly reinforce vocab., grammar, and syntax. It's well worth finding a copy of this book; it has many useful suggestions on writing contemporary Latin--even a few tips on translating modern vocabulary--and is an all-around excellent resource for composition.