In addition to obvious remains such as ruins, aqueducts and roads, the ancient Romans they have left us some much less visible elements such as the hidden meaning of certain terms that we use today without thinking too much: one of these cases is the term lefta polysemantic word that indicates, among many meanings, it’s a road accidentwhat a adjective to describe something disturbing or threatening. This diametrically opposite direction hides a story that connects the religion of ancient Rome and Greek culture to the superstition of more recent times.
The etymological origin and the “sinus”
From a purely etymological point of view the word derives from the Latin adjective sinister. The etymology is not certain: according to some theories the term is linked to the Latin noun sinusmeaning “breast” or “fold” or “hollow”. In ancient Rome, in fact, the left hand was considered the weakest side of the body: according to some sources, by tradition, it was often kept “hidden under the clothes” (in the toga) while the right hand remained free to act. This very early association with weakness and concealment may have laid the first foundation for the subsequent negative evolution of the term.
A meaning is attributed to the practice of spectioor the ritual observation of the sky carried out by the augurs. These priests had the task of interpret the will of the gods through the hopes (wishes), signs taken for example from the flight of birds or lightning. According to this custom, the physical orientation of the observer was fundamental depending on the Hellenic culture or RomanThe negative tradition of the left can therefore also be traced back to the influence of the Greek tradition of good wishes, in which the left was associated with the Western part and therefore with unfavorable auspices. The two conceptions, however, coexisted in the Roman world: Cicero explicitly documents the difference between the Roman and Greek interpretations.
According to the Roman tradition the priest positioned himself facing south, with the eastern side of the sky (from which the sun rises) to his left. This side was considered the seat of luck and therefore, for the Romans, an omen appearing on the left was considered technically favorable. Therefore, for the Romans the left was not negative at all, on the contrary! In the De divination II, 82 Cicero explicitly states that for the Romans the left was favorable, while for the Greeks and barbarians the right was better.
In the Greek greeting traditionthe observed positions himself facing towards the northwhich placed the lucky side (east) on their right. Over time, when poets such as Catullus, and subsequently Virgil and Horace, began to model their verses on Greek models, they conceptually translated the Greek metaphors and omens using the Latin word sinister. The two meanings, favorable and unfavorable, are therefore both documented in ancient Latin, but over the course of history the negative one progressively prevailed.
The meaning of accident to describe a person and an accident
The result of this evolution is visible today thanks to two meanings that the term has:
- Sinister in a figurative sense: “sinister” is used to describe an individual or event that appears suspicious or threatening. This link between the left side and negative qualities is a very old and widespread anthropological prejudice linked to being left-handed, and has long been associated with bad luck, clumsiness or bad faith. The association between the left and what is negative is also a very ancient and widespread cultural phenomenon: in various languages and traditions the right has been associated with what is correct, while the left with what is unfavorable or clumsy. An example is English rightmeaning both “right” and “correct.”
- Insurance claim: technical language, a noun that indicates an unfortunate event, such as a road accident. An insurance accident is not necessarily a “road accident” and does not automatically imply compensation, but it is the event foreseen by the insured risk that can give rise to the insurer’s benefitaccording to the conditions of the policy. It is therefore a broader technical-insurance term.
So, returning to the initial question: why is the term accident used for a road accident? Because, as we have seen, the term was linked to misfortunemisfortune and even a bit of bad luck. This long semantic evolution is visible today in the different meanings of the word: sinister can indicate what is on the left, something ominous or disturbing and, as a noun, an accident or a harmful event: in our small way, we are carrying forward something that has roots thousands of years ago.
