Derivatives of oro LC I

[Anonymous]

We started Latina Christiana I this week. My 9 year old asked a question that I too had been wondering about. The book says that "oro" means "to pray" but the derivatives(orator,etc.) listed have to do with speaking. When I checked one dictionary it has a different(though similar) Latin word meaning "to speak" as the origin of the derivatives given in lesson one.

Can someone clear this up for me?

Thanks,
Kendall

[Anonymous]

There are a number of words which had a certain meaning in classical times but which were given a new, additional Christian meaning as Christianity became prevalent. So, in classical Latin, oro meant "I speak", and from this we get oration and orator. Later, Christians used this word to express the idea of speaking to God, that is, praying. The word oratory means a small chapel for prayer (as well as the art of speaking). Caelum is another example of a word with both a classical and Christian meaning. It means sky and also Heaven.

I wish you well in your Latin studies!
Vale!
Julia