# Amicae Musicum or Musicum Amicae



## crazyguitarjeli

I'm figuring out a name for my Duo and really like something concerning "musical friends" in Latin. Since both members are female, it would be either amicae musicum or musicum amicae. I think that the adjective goes after the noun as in French but would like to be certain. Is "Amicae Musicum" grammatically correct?

Thank you for your help!


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## Scholiast

Greetings, seasonal as well as otherwise, to everyone here.


> I'm figuring out a name for my Duo and really like something concerning  "musical friends" in Latin. Since both members are female, it would be  either amicae musicum or musicum amicae. I think that the adjective goes  after the noun as in French but would like to be certain. Is "Amicae  Musicum" grammatically correct?



Unfortunately as it stands, _amicae musicum_ (_Amicae Musicum_) does not make sense. _Amicae_ is fine, but _music-_ in any form presents difficulties as originaily the word is Greek (Latinised _Musa_ = "Muse", and its derivative adjective _musice_, pronounced roughly "moose-i-kay", is short for _musike techne_, "artistic skill". You could have _amicae musices_  ([female] friends of music], or _amicae musicales_.

But I have another suggestion. There were in Greek mythology nine Muses, each of whom presided over a specific genre of literature or the other arts (e.g. Terpsichore, goddess of the dance). For your purposes you could do worse than _amicae Eratonis_, as Erato was the Muse of what we call "music" - _Eratonis_ is the Latin genitive (i.e. possessive) form of her name, and it would not matter grammatically whether you call yourselves "Eratonis Amicae" or "Amicae Eratonis". To my ear, the former sounds sleeker and more memorable.

Or how about just "Erato"?


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## jrundin

I like Scholiast's suggestion "amicae musicales," though that might mean something more
like "educated mistresses." His idea of going with Erato is brilliant.


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## eb110262

On the contrary, there are other (esteemed) musical groups that use the word 'musicum' (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Collegium_Musicum). Although I doubt it is classical Latin, my dictionary has 'musicus' as an adjective meaning 'to do with music'.

Also, Latin has a tendency to Latinise Greek words, so the word 'musica, -ae' also exists as a noun.

So 'Amicae Musicae' and 'Musicae Amicae' could both work.

On a personal note, I think Eratonis sounds a bit like something 'erotic'... Perhaps Amicae Musarum might work as well ('Friends of the Muses')?


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## jrundin

"musicus" has to do with the muses, which include all the arts, including science and writing history, for that matter.
That's why museums are not just music halls. Still, your point is correct. In Latin, musicus
does mostly have to do with music as we understand it. But it does potentially have
a broader semantic range than "music." I was playing with this notion when I translated "amicae musicales" 
as "educated mistresses." (I was tempted to write "skilled" or "high-priced hookers," but that struck
me as gratuitous buffoonery on my part.) 

"musicalis" is post-classical. It may be restricted to music as we think of it; I don't know. 

But "amica" is a loaded word. By the logic of Latin, an "amica" is likely to be
a mistress. Women who are "friends" are entering the men's world of
"amicitia," and that's the role of the demimondaine. If this group 
wants to stress their friendship, it might be safer referring
to themselves as "sorores" or something with a bit less carnal baggage. Or maybe
as "sociae" or as a "societas."

On the other hand, an ancient audience would assume that woman entertainers
were of the demimonde, so maybe "amicae" is o.k. after all.


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## jrundin

Oh, and when all is said and done, I'd probably go with something like "sorores musicae." 
"Musician Sisters."


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## Angelo di fuoco

Just Erato wouldn't be fine, since there was (is?) a discographical label called Erato and you would have to compete withe that one in the browsers.


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