Talk:sigillum

Archived RFC

Another from User:Drago. He says that sigillum is a diminutive of signum (true), but defines it as a "figurine" or "seal". While it can refer to a seal in later Latin, the rest of the information appears to be incorrect. The word sigillum is the neuter of sigilla, and both words refer to images or figures that are stamped or woven into something. --EncycloPetey 06:55, 25 April 2006 (UTC)

No, sigillum is not 'the neuter of' anything. sigillum is the singular of sigilla. [1] —Muke Tever 22:40, 27 April 2006 (UTC)

Not according to Smith's (published by Oxford). He gives sigillum as neuter with plural sigilli. There appears to be more than one way in which the word is used. --EncycloPetey 04:55, 28 April 2006 (UTC)

Um, neuters do not have plurals in -i—in all declensions they are in -(i)a. Are you sure that's not the genitive? A plural 'sigilli' would belong to a singular, masculine 'sigillus', violating the normal principle where a diminutive retains the gender of the original word (though apparently Giordano Bruno can use 'sigillus' as early as the 16th century). —Muke Tever 12:49, 28 April 2006 (UTC)

You're right, the sigilli is the genitive. The second form ending given in Smith is always the genitive ending for nouns. My mistake. --EncycloPetey 13:41, 28 April 2006 (UTC)