# Doctor in Scientiarum Socialibus



## voltape

I have a diploma from the Pontificia Universitas Gregoriana – Doctor in Social Sciences.  It reads:

……..“Inter auditores ordinarios Facultatis Scientiarum Socialium fuit ascriptus”…..

and below:
“Nos, eundem (name of graduate) Doctorem in Scientiarum Socialibus” declaramus et renuntiamus……


I can understand “Scientiarum Socialium” all in genitive, because it is “of Social Sciences”

But why “Doctor in Scientiarum Socialibus”?  shouldn’t it be ablative, and be “Doctor in Scientiis Socialibus”?

Thank you


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## Katharina Blum

_Pontificia Academia Scientiarum Socialium est academia quae die 1 Ianuarii 1994 a Papa Ioanne Paulo II condita est._
Pontificia Academia Scientiarum Socialium - Vicipaedia
So as it is the Papal Academy of the "Social Aspects of the Sciences" _(scientiarun socialium)_, you get _in scientiarum socialibus._


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## Scholiast

Saluete amici

Frau Blum's explanation is ingenious, but I find it implausible. One would normally expect, of an _Academia Scientiarum Socialium_, that it would award, congruently, doctorates _Scientiarum Socialium_. It is, moreover, worldwide academic parlance to designate the academic discipline of an award with the genitive, thus e.g. _Magister Artium_, _Doctor Legum_, _Baccalaureus Philosophiae._ I have never come across such a thing with a prepositional phrase such as "_in..._" with an ablative. Frankly, I suspect here a mistake.

It may be, sadly, that the standards of Latinity one might once upon a time have taken for granted at the Pontifical University are slipping. Refer them to me, please.

Σ


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## Katharina Blum

Even the Vatican being incapable of proper Latin is too scary. It all started with _tertia die _(fem.!).


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## Scholiast

_Tertia die_?

The gender of _dies _was thoroughly ambiguous already in classical times: observe Caesar, _BG _1.6, 'diem dicunt, *qua* die...omnes conveniant: *is *dies erat a.d. v Kal. Apr.', and other reff. in L&S.

Σ


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## voltape

It seems Vatican II gave Latin the fatal blow.


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## Scholiast

voltape said:


> It seems Vatican II gave Latin the fatal blow.


Latin antedated the Roman Catholic Church by some centuries. I am confident that it will outlive it by several as well.
Σ


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## voltape

Let Latin outlive ad multos annos! there is a job for Latin Lovers!  (Latin lovers in its proper sense, not in Hollywood's)


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## jaws965

I agree with Scholiast, tu quoque, Ecclesia.....


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