Why does the word "patermafilias" refer to the breadwinner of a household (traditionally, a man), when the Latin word, "filia", means "daughter"?
by 
mumpsimus
ANSWERS: 7
-
Would this not mean 'father of the daughters'? I would assume the father of daughters to be a breadwinner.
-
I think you have misspelled "paterfamilias". I'm no Latin / Old English scholar, but I've never seen "patermafilias". (Additionally, Firefox flags that as a misspelled word, and not the "paterfamilias" that I suggest above.)
-
pater - father familias - of the family.
-
it is paterfamilias patermafias would be father of the mafia, paternoster would be father of the nostrils, patteroftinyfeet would be proud father of a baby, and Paterson is a scottish name.
-
I think it is supposed to be paterfamilias. Plus, "patermafilias" has "ma" in the middle, which doesn't mean anything.
-
IT is two words. Pater, which is father. Familias, which if family, or conjugated here to "of the family". Father of the family.
-
IT is two words. Pater, which is father. Familias, which is family, or conjugated here to "of the family". Father of the family.
RELATED QUESTIONS
Copyright 2023, Wired Ivy, LLC