Question Just heard on BBC radio somebody translate 'My name is x' as Meum nomen est x. In the 7 modern West European languages I know about, this phrase is generally translated by a verb, reflexive in Romance languages, evolutions of the same verb in nearly all Romance tongues.
So is this the case in Latin?
Answer Hello,
Actually in classical Latin the phrase “My name is Charles (for example)” must be translated as follows:
“Mihi nomen est Carolus”
or :
« Mihi nomen est Carolo ».
In these Latin phrases MIHI is a dative of Possession used with the verb 'sum' to show the possessor; NOMEN is a nominative; EST is the 3rd person singular, present indicative of SUM; CAROLUS is in the nominative agreed with NOMEN, while CAROLO is in the dative agreed with MIHI.
In short “My name is…” corresponds to “Mihi nomen est + the name in the nominative or in the dative case.”
As for “Meum nomen est…”, it's an expression which belongs to late Latin, i.e. Vulgar Latin that is the common speech of the Romans, which is distinguished from standard literary Latin and is the ancestor of the Romance languages, where, as you said, the phrase “'My name is …” is generally translated by a reflexive verb.
For example in French we say “Je m'appelle... », but also « Mon nom est… » and in Italian « Mi chiamo … “ or “Il mio nome č…”.
Best,
Maria
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Please note that a literal translation of “Mihi est nomen Carolus/Carolo” would be :”The name Charles belongs to me”, though we cannot say it in English.
