Disputatio:Potlatch

certamen

Certamen? It's a contest where they give each other gifts?! A rather unusual thing for one to do in a competition... --Ioscius ^(disp) 18:49, 9 Iulii 2007 (UTC)

It is a meeting where they exchange gifts, but they are contesting who gives the biggest present. Of coarse course, the host always gives the bigger one and thus next year's host has to give an even bigger one. Apparently, in the 1900's they were giving such a ludicrous aount of gifts that all their economy was at risk--Xaverius 19:13, 9 Iulii 2007 (UTC)

Ok, well we need a completely different word... certamen is a competition, not a meeting. Conventus, -us, m. or maybe congressus, -us, m.--Ioscius ^(disp) 21:51, 9 Iulii 2007 (UTC)

According to anthropology textbooks, it's definitely a competition, but not one with scoring or winning in the ways most of the rest of us are used to. IacobusAmor 21:57, 9 Iulii 2007 (UTC)

It is a present competition, in which the pride of giving the most impressive present is at risk. The otter furs and the little bronze or copper items acquire a symbolic and even magical meaning when they are passed from a tribe to other in ever potlatch. Sadly enough, I cannot explain that in Latin... if only I could find my dictionary...--Xaverius 22:05, 9 Iulii 2007 (UTC)

Yes, it's difinitely kind of raising competition. How about aemulatio? --Neander 22:18, 9 Iulii 2007 (UTC)

amfitrio

Amfitrio - I take you have latinized this from Spanish. The Latin form would be Amphitruo, but this doesn't get proverbial for 'open-handed host' until Molière wrote an adaptation of Plautus' Amphitruo. --Neander 21:05, 9 Iulii 2007 (UTC).

I'm sorry, I've lost my dictionary, I think I made up most of the words. Then what's the word for host?.--Xaverius 21:32, 9 Iulii 2007 (UTC)

Hospes, -itis, m.--Ioscius ^(disp) 21:51, 9 Iulii 2007 (UTC)

Tribes

I haven't got a clue about how to latinise the names of the tribes.--Xaverius 09:08, 11 Iulii 2007 (UTC)