The Latin for Ass

Abstract

In English, down to the 19th century, the beast which carried Balaam was generally and almost universally, both in speech and in writing, denominated the ass. It is so no longer: the name ass, except in metaphor as a term of contempt or insult, has disappeared from conversation and from most kinds of print, and survives only in serious poetry and in prose of some solemnity. The name donkey, first printed in 1785 in a dictionary of slang, has usurped its place.

Greek Diminutives in Gothic

“…14 Certain other early Latin translations (sometimes called Vetus Latina or Itala) have asinus in John 12:14 for on arion. It is not clear that asellus exemplifies normal diminutive semantics in the Classical language (Housman 1930). 15 Also renders pulṓn at Mt 26:71; Lk 16:20: Hill & Archer (1987) define pulṓn as 'properly, the passage which led from the street through the front part of the house to the inner court,' closed by a heavy p ul e at the streetward end.'…”

“… Certain other early Latin translations (sometimes called Vetus Latina or Itala ) have asinus in John 12:14 for onárion . It is not clear that asellus exemplifies normal diminutive semantics in the Classical language (Housman ). …”