Lexica → Phrase → capitus diminutio maxima
| Letter | C |
|---|---|
| Letter name | cee |
| Pronounciation | /siː/ |
| Phrase: | capitus diminutio maxima |
|---|---|
| Pronounciation: | |
| Century: | 15th |
| DA Name: | capitus diminutio maxima |
| Era: | C.E. |
| Origin: | Original |
| Type: | Official |
| Source Language: | Latin |
Source Language Words: | |
| Source Text: | |
Definition: | 19th Century Latin forgery deliberately introduced into early LAW DICTIONARIES to protect the use of UPPER CASE naming and discourage its wider practice. The phrase claims the meaning "The highest, most comprehensive loss of status through CAPITALIZATION" and attributes this to the alleged ancient pre-Vatican Roman Law of naming slaves in CAPITALS. Contrary to misleading historical accounts, bicameral scripts (UPPER CASE and LOWER CASE) known as MAJUSCULE and MINUSCULE did not officially appear in European languages until the arrival of the printing press in the 15th Century, nor did the word CAPITAL have its meaning in terms of letters. |
