# Can the Latin word "cum" still be used without misunderstanding? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 5, 2012, 1:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-latin-word-cum-still-be-used-without-misunderstanding/620980 "2012-05-05T13:14:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2012, 1:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-latin-word-cum-still-be-used-without-misunderstanding/620980/1 "2012-05-05T13:14:35Z")
Latin for “with”, used in English as a linking word. But has the other word spelled the same way now made it impossible to use without raising eyebrows? ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2012, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-latin-word-cum-still-be-used-without-misunderstanding/620980/2 "2012-05-05T13:17:16Z")
Why wouldn’t you just use “with”? ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2012, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-latin-word-cum-still-be-used-without-misunderstanding/620980/3 "2012-05-05T13:20:53Z")
They should be pronounced differently. And in text you would italicize the Latin word. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2012, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-latin-word-cum-still-be-used-without-misunderstanding/620980/4 "2012-05-05T13:23:59Z")
I know people who still say “sofa-cum-bed” (pronounced just like English “come”). In these kinds of uses, you don’t italicize it, because it has essentially been adopted into English. And if it’s spoken, you can’t italicize it anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Bozuit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/edb3f5/32.png) [@Bozuit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bozuit)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2012, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-latin-word-cum-still-be-used-without-misunderstanding/620980/5 "2012-05-05T13:44:51Z")
It can and is used without misunderstanding, but that doesn’t mean a lot of very immature people (like me) won’t be sniggering when it is. ---
**Author:** ![Crab\_Rangoon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7ba0ec/32.png) [@Crab\_Rangoon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crab_Rangoon)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2012, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-latin-word-cum-still-be-used-without-misunderstanding/620980/6 "2012-05-05T14:06:06Z")
I had a boyfriend in high school who was shocked - I say SHOCKED - at the constant use of the word cum in the book Still Life with Woodpecker. I had to break it to him that it was Latin for “with”, not ejaculating. There was still a lot of sex in that book - really what’s the difference? ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2012, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-latin-word-cum-still-be-used-without-misunderstanding/620980/7 "2012-05-05T15:52:51Z")
> [@Acsenray](#): > > I know people who still say “sofa-cum-bed” (pronounced just like English “come”). I’ve never heard that one—and I don’t think I could hear it without snickering. The only place I hear/see the Latin _cum_ used is in graduation honors (e.g. _summa cum laude_), and then it’s pronounced with a long _u_. ---
**Author:** ![Cicero](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cicero/32/3594_2.png) [@Cicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cicero)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2012, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-latin-word-cum-still-be-used-without-misunderstanding/620980/8 "2012-05-05T16:39:44Z")
Only if you feel the noise. ---
**Author:** ![saoirse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5daacb/32.png) [@saoirse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saoirse)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2012, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-latin-word-cum-still-be-used-without-misunderstanding/620980/9 "2012-05-05T16:43:40Z")
> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > I’ve never heard that one—and I don’t think I could hear it without snickering. The only place I hear/see the Latin _cum_ used is in graduation honors (e.g. _summa cum laude_), and then it’s pronounced with a long _u_. and summa cum quiet… Just thought I should get that out of the way. ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2012, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-latin-word-cum-still-be-used-without-misunderstanding/620980/10 "2012-05-05T16:44:31Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > Why wouldn’t you just use “with”? Pfft. Like a common peasant? ---
**Author:** ![compositejoe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/compositejoe/32/7232_2.png) [@compositejoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/compositejoe)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2012, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-latin-word-cum-still-be-used-without-misunderstanding/620980/11 "2012-05-05T16:55:32Z")
> [@Bozuit](#): > > It can and is used without misunderstanding, but that doesn’t mean a lot of \*\*very immature people (like me) \*\*won’t be sniggering when it is. And me as well! 😃 There would probably be some other words as well I’d be immature about if you mentioned them. ---
**Author:** ![Kimmy\_Gibbler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Kimmy\_Gibbler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimmy_Gibbler)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2012, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-latin-word-cum-still-be-used-without-misunderstanding/620980/12 "2012-05-05T18:40:01Z")
I have a recording of the _Mass in B Minor_ on my iPod, and for the chorus that concludes the Gloria, Apple’s software has titled it “C\*m Sancto Spiritu,” which I think makes the title, itself innocuous, pretty salacious. ---
**Author:** ![Bearflag70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Bearflag70](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bearflag70)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2012, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-latin-word-cum-still-be-used-without-misunderstanding/620980/13 "2012-05-05T18:58:06Z")
Hamburger cum cheese doesn’t look good on a menu ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2012, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-latin-word-cum-still-be-used-without-misunderstanding/620980/14 "2012-05-05T19:07:21Z")
> [@VinylTurnip](#): > > Pfft. Like a common peasant? Exactly. Unless using it in an actual Latin phrase it cums off very pretentious. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2012, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-latin-word-cum-still-be-used-without-misunderstanding/620980/15 "2012-05-05T20:04:44Z")
[An extra comma can ruin the entire meaning of a real estate listing](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=14128941#post14128941). ---
**Author:** ![casdave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c6cbf5/32.png) [@casdave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/casdave)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2012, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-latin-word-cum-still-be-used-without-misunderstanding/620980/16 "2012-05-05T22:18:14Z")
It is used widely in place and district names in the UK, especially in rural parish councils.You frequently get villages with their own name and they may well be joined in a parish with another village.Some parishes were merged due to loss of populations, others were just too small to support a living for a local vicar. This place is just a few miles from me - Bardsey-cum-Rigton Cliffe cum Lund Aston cum Aughton Bramham cum Oglethorpe Rillington-cum-Scampston Burton cum Walden Dalby-cum-Skewsby Kirklington cum Upsland Marton-cum-Moxby Hartwith cum Winsley Marton Cum Grafton Pickhill-cum-Roxby Eskdale-cum-Ugglebarnby Newall cum Clifton Anston cum Membris Ilton cum Pott Ossett-cum-Gawthorpe Brandsby Cum Stearsby Stanley cum Wrenthorpe Hawsker cum Stainsacre Warmfield cum Heath Elloughton-cum-Brough Sutton cum Everley Attercliffe-cum-Darnall Hipperholme-cum-Brighouse Wetwang-cum-Fimber Huddleston cum Lumby Carperby cum Thoresby Mayfield Cum Mulgrave Sewerby cum Marton Stainland Cum Old Lindley Oulton cum Woodlesford Wilsden cum Allerton East Carlton & Cottingham cum Middleton Selby cum membris St Martin Cum Gregory Landmoth cum Catto Alverthorpe cum Thornes Ilton-Cum-Pot Elland cum Greetland Conistone cum Kilnsey Bear in mind that these place names are only in one county in England, so that should give you some idea of the common use of this naming convention.If you go into archaic districts then it becomes even more common. You can google all these and find out a little bit more about them. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2012, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-latin-word-cum-still-be-used-without-misunderstanding/620980/17 "2012-05-06T00:18:49Z")
> [@Cicero](#): > > Only if you feel the noise. You misspelled “noize.” ---
**Author:** ![Rachellelogram](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rachellelogram/32/8689_2.png) [@Rachellelogram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rachellelogram)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2012, 7:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-latin-word-cum-still-be-used-without-misunderstanding/620980/18 "2012-05-06T07:49:58Z")
I suppose it depends on the maturity level of the reader, and their familiarity with Latin infixes. I’m fairly immature, though, so I feel mildly embarrassed for people who live in Cumming, Georgia or have the surname Cummings. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2012, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-latin-word-cum-still-be-used-without-misunderstanding/620980/19 "2012-05-06T13:58:22Z")
> [@rachelellogram](#): > > I suppose it depends on the maturity level of the reader, and their familiarity with Latin infixes. I’m fairly immature, though, so I feel mildly embarrassed for people who live in Cumming, Georgia or have the surname Cummings. Alan Cumming doesn’t even have the decency to leave the S on. ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2012, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-latin-word-cum-still-be-used-without-misunderstanding/620980/20 "2012-05-06T14:39:45Z")
> [@Bearflag70](#): > > Hamburger cum cheese doesn’t look good on a menu Nor would a French dip sandwich _cum jus_. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-latin-word-cum-still-be-used-without-misunderstanding/620980.md?page=2)