{"id":4029,"date":"2016-07-26T16:43:23","date_gmt":"2016-07-26T16:43:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/latin\/?p=4029"},"modified":"2016-07-26T16:43:23","modified_gmt":"2016-07-26T16:43:23","slug":"pokemon-ite-15-pokemon-with-latin-inspired-names","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/latin\/pokemon-ite-15-pokemon-with-latin-inspired-names\/","title":{"rendered":"Pok\u00e9mon Ite!: 15 Pok\u00e9mon with Latin-Inspired Names"},"content":{"rendered":"

Salvete Omnes! I hope everyone\u2019s weekend was nice. Maybe some of you were out exploring in the tall grass and captured some\u00a0MarsuMonstra<\/strong>!<\/p>\n

Now, that\u2019s not a real phrase found in Classical Latin, but you might be able to figure it out:<\/p>\n

MarsuMonstra <\/strong>is a compacted invention of\u00a0Marsupium Monstra<\/strong><\/p>\n

Marsupium\u00a0= Pocket<\/strong><\/p>\n

Monstra = Monsters<\/strong><\/p>\n

So, you might’ve guessed from the title, our theme this week is!:<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"Pok\u00e9mon

Pok\u00e9mon Go in hand, courtesy of Wikimedia Commons<\/p><\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n

If you\u2019re not sure where this is going, you might not have been on the internet the past few weeks because Pocket Monsters, that is, Pok\u00e9mon, have taken over the world! Or, rather, they\u2019ve taken over the attention spans of children and adults, at least of those who have a compatible smartphone, worldwide.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"ANA

ANA Boeing 747-400 featuring Clefairy, Pikachu, Togepi, Mewtwo, Snorlax. Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.<\/p><\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n

Pok\u00e9mon has been an international sensation for the past few decades, but with the release of \u201cPok\u00e9mon Go!\u201d everyone\u2019s remembering all those little creatures from the games and TV shows and movies. As a Latin-learner you might be struck, however, by some things you recognize in the names of a few of the Pok\u00e9mon that you might not have caught onto when you were younger.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

In fact, maybe these Pok\u00e9mon can help you remember some useful vocabulary, or maybe your Latin vocabulary can help you remember these <\/span>15 Pok\u00e9mon with Latin-inspired names:<\/b><\/h3>\n

 <\/p>\n

Here they are, listed in order of their Pok\u00e9dex numbers and with the theorized etymologies of their names. I have also included even the Latin etymology for the English words used to create these monikers!<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"Pokemon

Pokemon Logo, Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons<\/p><\/div>\n

037 Vulpix<\/strong><\/h3>\n

vulpine<\/span><\/span>\u00a0 =\u00a0“pertaining to a fox, fox-like,” from the Latin <\/span>vulpinus<\/span><\/i> “of or pertaining to a fox,” from <\/span>vulpes<\/span><\/i>, earlier <\/span>volpes<\/span><\/i> (genitive <\/span>vulpis<\/span><\/i>, <\/span>volpis<\/span><\/i>).<\/span><\/p>\n

six<\/span><\/span>\u00a0=\u00a0its number of tails<\/span><\/p>\n

059 Arcanine<\/strong><\/h3>\n

arcane<\/span> =<\/span> from Latin <\/span>arcanus<\/span><\/i> “secret, hidden, private, concealed,” from <\/span>arcere<\/span><\/i> “close up, enclose, contain,” from <\/span>arca<\/span><\/i> “chest, box, place for safe-keeping,”<\/span><\/p>\n

canine<\/span><\/span>\u00a0 =\u00a0from\u00a0<\/span>Latin <\/span>caninus<\/span><\/i>. Meaning “pertaining to a dog or dogs”.<\/span><\/p>\n

143 Snorlax<\/strong><\/h3>\n

snore<\/span><\/span>\u00a0=\u00a0sound made during sleeping<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\nlax<\/span><\/span> =\u00a0\u00a0from Latin <\/span>laxus<\/span><\/i> “wide, spacious, roomy,” figuratively “loose, free, wide” (also used of indulgent rule and low prices),<\/span><\/p>\n

216 Teddiursa<\/strong> and \u00a0217 Ursaring<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n

teddy<\/span><\/span>\u00a0=\u00a0stuffed bear toy <\/span><\/p>\n

ursa<\/span> =<\/span> Latin for \u2018bear\u2019 <\/span>from Latin<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>ursus<\/span><\/i> “a bear,”<\/span><\/p>\n

ring = circular band, referring to its shape<\/p>\n

246 Larvitar<\/strong><\/h3>\n

larva<\/span> =\u00a0<\/span> young feeding stage of an insect. F<\/span>rom Latin <\/span>larva<\/span><\/i> (plural <\/span>larvae<\/span><\/i>), earlier <\/span>larua<\/span><\/i> “ghost, evil spirit, demon,” also “mask,” a word from Roman mythology, of unknown origin.<\/span><\/p>\n

tar<\/span> =<\/span>\u00a0Latin <\/span>tardus<\/span><\/i> “slow, sluggish; late; dull, stupid,” of unknown origin. <\/span><\/p>\n

247 Pupitar \u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n

pupae<\/span> =<\/span>\u00a0immobile cocoon stage of an insect. S<\/span>pecial use by Linn\u00e6us (1758) of Latin <\/span>pupa<\/span><\/i> “girl, doll, puppet” <\/span>on notion of “undeveloped creature” (like “pupil”).<\/span><\/p>\n

tar<\/span> =<\/span> from Latin \u2018tardus\u2019 meaning slow<\/span><\/p>\n

364 Sealeo<\/strong><\/h3>\n

seal<\/span> =<\/span> marine creature <\/span><\/p>\n

leo<\/span> =<\/span>\u00a0Latin for \u2018lion\u2019<\/span>
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

377 Regirock<\/strong><\/h3>\n

regi<\/span><\/span>\u00a0 =\u00a0from Latin <\/span>genitive\u00a0<\/span>regis <\/span><\/i>meaning<\/span>\u00a0“king,”<\/span><\/p>\n

rock<\/span> =<\/span> stone<\/span><\/p>\n

389 Torterra<\/strong><\/h3>\n

tortoise<\/span><\/span>\u00a0 =\u00a0large reptile with a protective shell \u00a0<\/span>from Medieval Latin <\/span>tortuca<\/span><\/i> (mid-13c.), perhaps from Late Latin <\/span>tartaruchus<\/span><\/i> “of the underworld”. Others propose a source in Latin <\/span>tortus<\/span><\/i> “twisted,” based on the shape of the feet. The classical Latin word was <\/span>testudo<\/span><\/i>, from <\/span>testa<\/span><\/i> “shell.” <\/span><\/p>\n

terra<\/span><\/span>\u00a0=\u00a0Latin for \u2018earth\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n

404 Luxio<\/strong><\/h3>\n

lux<\/span><\/span>\u00a0=\u00a0unit of brightness <\/span>from Latin <\/span>lux<\/span><\/i> “light”<\/span><\/p>\n

leo<\/span><\/span>\u00a0=\u00a0Latin for \u2018lion\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n

512 Simisage<\/strong><\/h3>\n

simian<\/span><\/span>\u00a0=\u00a0of or relating to primates <\/span>from Latin <\/span>simia<\/span><\/i> “ape,” from <\/span>simus<\/span><\/i> “snub-nosed,”<\/span><\/p>\n

sage<\/span><\/span>\u00a0=\u00a0a herb (referring to cooking and its Grass type)<\/span><\/p>\n

565 Carracosta<\/strong><\/h3>\n

carapace<\/span><\/span>\u00a0=\u00a0a hard protective covering <\/span><\/p>\n

costa<\/span><\/span>\u00a0= Coast;\u00a0earlier “rib as a part of the body” (early 12c.), \u00a0from Latin <\/span>costa<\/span><\/i> “a rib,”<\/span><\/p>\n

667 Litleo<\/strong><\/h3>\n

little<\/span><\/span>\u00a0=\u00a0small <\/span><\/p>\n

leo<\/span><\/span>\u00a0=\u00a0Latin for \u2018lion\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n

716 Xerneas<\/strong><\/h3>\n

X<\/span> =<\/span>\u00a0letter; game in which Xerneas appears \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Cernunnos<\/span><\/span>\u00a0=\u00a0Celtic god based on a deer (itself from the Latin \u2018cervus\u2019 which means deer)<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The people involved in naming Pok\u00e9mon for the American versions of the games have also included Greek and other languages in naming the creatures. In this way, playing Pok\u00e9mon with in-depth knowledge of etymology could be quite interesting and useful for anyone learning these languages.<\/span><\/p>\n

If you can think of any more Pok\u00e9mon, or MarsuMonstra, names with Latin roots please share them below!\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Sources:<\/span><\/p>\n

http:\/\/pokemondb.net\/etymology<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

http:\/\/www.etymonline.com\/index.php<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"\"\"

Salvete Omnes! I hope everyone\u2019s weekend was nice. Maybe some of you were out exploring in the tall grass and captured some\u00a0MarsuMonstra! Now, that\u2019s not a real phrase found in Classical Latin, but you might be able to figure it out: MarsuMonstra is a compacted invention of\u00a0Marsupium Monstra Marsupium\u00a0= Pocket Monstra = Monsters So, you…<\/p>\n

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