Expert: Maria - 8/8/2008

Question
how do they call the student in ancient?

Answer
Hello,

It’s obvious that each ancient civilization used its own language to say “the student“ as well as today we use different words to translate  the noun “student” in German, French, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Russian, etc.

So, since I am an expert in Ancient Greek and Roman history, I can tell you how the ancient Greeks and Romans said “the student”.

The Romans, whose language was Latin called “the student” “discipulus” or “alumnus”, if “the student” refers to only one  male person, while the plural is “discipuli” or “alumni”, if “the student” refers to many male persons.

If on the contrary “the student” refers to only one  female person, it is “discipula” or “alumna”, while the plural is “discipulae” or “alumnae”, if “the student” refers to many female persons

As for the ancient Greeks, they called “the student”  “mathetes” (μαθητής, in Greek letters), if “the student” refers to only one  person, while the plural is “mathetai” (μαθηταί), if “the student” refers to many persons.

Finally note that Latin & ancient Greek are inflected languages with declensions and  agreements in case, gender , number, etc.


Best regards,
Maria