Anybody Good with Latin

[ktulu]

Salve,

Ok I know a plant forum probably isnt the most productive place to ask this, but is anybody good with latin. I have a problem from an archaeology text book that lists ad mortem trauma as one of the characteristics of a set of skeletal remains. What does ad mortem litterally translate to and how does that relate to the trauma with the remains. I believe it means before death though I would like confirmation on this if at all possible.

Gratias.

 

[Clint]

I believe it means to death. Before death would be ante mortem. Ante mortem makes a lot more sense, and if I'm wrong and ad is a synonym for ante (I don't think it is) then it would mean trauma that happened before death. To me, ad mortem (to death) would mean the trauma was the cause of death. Traumatized to death.

I've only had a year of Latin, so I may be wrong.

 

[ktulu]

well that would make sense the bones are pretty busted up and include a fracture of the femur which takes a great deal of force to break

Also thank you, all I remember from my highschool latin classes is Chicilus es pater. Matella est? mater. that and Salve and Gratias, thats about it.

 

[Nepenthusiast]

Latin is great. I agree with JLAP about the translation, ad mortem definetlty means to death. Ante can also be spelled Antea.
Valete omnes!