Definition of Alma Mater

Alma mater is one of the many Latin phrases that we use in our language, since Latin is one of the original sources of Spanish. From an etymological point of view, alma mater means nurturing mother. However, this phrase does not refer to a mother feeding a child. In reality, alma mater is used figuratively and symbolically to refer to the university, the place that nourishes the human spirit and soul.

Using this expression was consolidated in the Middle Ages, when the first universities were founded in some European cities (Paris, Bologna or Salamanca are university cities where there are historical testimonies of the alma mater locution). In this sense, it must be taken into account that the university as a center of wisdom and knowledge represented a whole revolution intellectual and a change of paradigm, since previously the soul of knowledge was in the monasteries.

The literal sense of the expression (a nurturing mother) became over time a metaphorical expression, in which food is knowledge.

Frequent confusion

Sometimes statements such as the following are heard: "the starting striker is the alma mater of the team", implying that said player is the key person in a soccer team. The expression "the alma mater" to refer to a person with a relevant role in a group is incorrect. In the first place, because it should only be used as a synonym for university and, on the other hand, the correct thing is "the alma mater" and not with the Article "the". These errors in the use of some Latin phrases and expressions are quite frequent (for example, it should be said roughly and not "roughly").

Latin, a dead language that has not just died

In a strict sense the Latin as language is dead, as there is no community of speakers anywhere in the world, just some scholars of this language and who have a philological approach related to languages modern. The phrase alma mater serves to remind us that in the field itself academic Other Latin expressions continue to be used (for example, curriculum vitae, magnum opus, cum laude, accesit, honoris causa, and many others).

On the other hand, both in the media communication as in some specific spheres, Latin still has a significant presence in the language. We say that ad hoc evidence has been presented in court, that something is a priori or that a particular case is very sui generis. The conclusion that we can extract is evident: Latin continues alive among us.

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