There is a Latin adjective sinster, sinistri meaning left, and perverse, unfavourable etc. in a figurative sense. For the Latin auspices it meant unlucky, but for the Greek auspices it apparently meant lucky.
Sinistra, sinistrae is the corresponding noun. Bob > -----Original Message----- > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On > Behalf Of Godfrey DiGiorgi > Sent: 15 February 2008 03:54 > To: Pentax-Discuss Mail List > Subject: Re: Oh, the temptation... > > > On Feb 14, 2008, at 7:18 PM, Mark Roberts wrote: > > >> Left in Latin is Sinister. > > Trivia lesson of the day: > > "Sinistra", not sinister. The word sinister is derived from > sinistra... > > Roman battle gear was designed for squadrons of right handed shield > bearers. Left-handed shield bearers caused the possibility of attack > to an unguarded flank, that's why sinistra became associated with > "bad" or evil. > > I remember translating the tale of Mucius Scaevola, a left handed > soldier in the Roman army, who distinguished himself by taking > advantage of his opposite handed-ness to protect his commander in > unusual circumstances way back when in Latin IV classes. It > was quite > unusual for them to sing the praise of a left-handed soldier! :-) > > G > > > > -- > PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List > [email protected] > http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net > to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly > above and follow the directions. > > -- PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List [email protected] http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and follow the directions.
