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Archiver > LATIN-WORDS > 2002-01 > 1011986557


From: "Arthur & Pauline Kennedy" <>
Subject: Re: [LATIN] Latin Grammar
Date: Fri, 25 Jan 2002 19:22:37 -0000
References: <17b.27a0ae6.297f2316@aol.com>


Dick Dahm <> wrote:

I need help from someone familiar with fine points of Latin grammar. I have
a marriage record which reads in part as follows:

In matrimonium conjuncti Josephum fil. adoptativ Wolpert fil. illeg.
Bernhard
Wolpert et Maria Dietmer cum Eva Michel, fil. leg. George Michel et Anna
nata
Schultz.

In the above, the words Joseph, Dietmer, Eva and Michel are underlined
(presumably to identify the names of the groom and bride). I have concluded
that Joseph was an illegitimate child who used the surname Dietmer at the
time of his marriage, but had used the surname Wolpert earlier. From other
sources I have concluded that Joseph's mother could have been the Maria
Dietmer mentioned here, or her sister Sophia Dietmer with whom Joseph (as a
nine year old) lived at the time Maria and Bernhard were married.

My questions ----- Is Joseph an illegitimate son of Maria or Bernhard, or
both, or someone else? And is Joseph adopted by Maria or Bernhad, or both,
or someone else? Is there enough information in the quoted record to
answer any of these questions?
----------------------------------------------

On the face of it, the Latin seems to me to mean that Joseph was the
illegitimate son of Bernhard Wolpert and Maria Dietmer, and the adopted son
of someone called Wolpert, who may or may not have been Bernhard. However,
it might also mean that it was Joseph's adoptive father Wolpert who was the
illegitimate son of BW and MD - although against this there is nothing about
Eva's grandparents.

To get closer to the answer I think you will need to find out something
about the rules and customs about illegitimacy (and adoption, if there were
formalised procedures) in the place where this was recorded. Also, comparing
this entry with others around the same time might help you to work out if
any convention was being followed about exactly what information was
recorded about each person.

Arthur Kennedy



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