quid nomen tibi est
Latin
Alternative forms
- quid nōmen tibī̆st? (phonetic spelling indicating clitisation, also called prodelision or aphaeresis)
- quod nōmen tibī̆ est? (Late Latin, Medieval Latin)
Etymology
From quid n (“what”, nominative) + nōmen n (“name”, nominative) + tibī̆ (“to you”, dative) + est (“is”). Literally meaning “what is the name to you” or “what do you have for a name?”.
Pronunciation
- (Classical Latin) IPA(key): [ˈkʷɪd ˈnoː.mɛn ˈtɪ.biː ˈɛst], [ˈkʷɪd ˈnoː.mɛn ˈtɪ.bɪ ˈɛst]
- (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA(key): [ˈkʷid̪ ˈnɔː.men ˈt̪iː.bi ˈɛst̪]
Phrase
- what is your name?
- c. 190 BCE – 185 BCE, Plautus, Amphitryon 1.1.363–4:hypotactic.com
- MERCVRIVS: Quis erus est igitur tibī?
SOSIA: Amphitruō, quī nunc praefectust Thēbānīs legiōnibus,
quīcum nūpta est Alcumēna... MERCVRIVS: Quid aīs?! Quid nōmen tibī est?- MERCURY: Who's your master then?
SOSIA: Amphitryon, who's now in command of the Theban forces,
to whom Alcmena is married... M: You what?! What is your name?
- MERCURY: Who's your master then?
- MERCVRIVS: Quis erus est igitur tibī?