Difference between revisions of "Compos mentis"
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The phrases are typically found in legal contexts: if, e.g., a person is to stand trial in a court of law or make a valid will, he or she must be '''''compos mentis''''', i.e., able to appreciate the significance of their actions and/or understand what is happening or being done to them. However, the phrases are sometimes used loosely in conversational contexts, '''''compos mentis''''' meaning 'emotionally calm or undisturbed' and '''''non compos mentis''''' the opposite of this. | The phrases are typically found in legal contexts: if, e.g., a person is to stand trial in a court of law or make a valid will, he or she must be '''''compos mentis''''', i.e., able to appreciate the significance of their actions and/or understand what is happening or being done to them. However, the phrases are sometimes used loosely in conversational contexts, '''''compos mentis''''' meaning 'emotionally calm or undisturbed' and '''''non compos mentis''''' the opposite of this. | ||
| − | N.B. '''''Compos mentis''''' and '''''non compos mentis''''' can only be used [[Attributive-predicative|predicatively]], i.e., it is possible to say 'I have no doubt that the accused is '''''compos mentis'''''' or 'The prisoner was found to be '''''non compos mentis'''''' but not 'The '''''compos mentis''''' prisoner entered a plea of 'Not guilty''. | + | N.B. '''''Compos mentis''''' and '''''non compos mentis''''' can only be used [[Attributive - predicative|predicatively]], i.e., it is possible to say 'I have no doubt that the accused is '''''compos mentis'''''' or 'The prisoner was found to be '''''non compos mentis'''''' but not 'The '''''compos mentis''''' prisoner entered a plea of 'Not guilty''. |
[[Category:Latin]][[Category:Latin words and phrases]] | [[Category:Latin]][[Category:Latin words and phrases]] | ||
Revision as of 13:02, 13 March 2023
The Latin phrase compos mentis, which translates literally as 'in control of one's mind', may be used to mean 'of sound mind' or 'in control of one's actions', while its opposite, non compos mentis, may be used to mean 'not of sound mind' or 'not in control of one's actions'.
The phrases are typically found in legal contexts: if, e.g., a person is to stand trial in a court of law or make a valid will, he or she must be compos mentis, i.e., able to appreciate the significance of their actions and/or understand what is happening or being done to them. However, the phrases are sometimes used loosely in conversational contexts, compos mentis meaning 'emotionally calm or undisturbed' and non compos mentis the opposite of this.
N.B. Compos mentis and non compos mentis can only be used predicatively, i.e., it is possible to say 'I have no doubt that the accused is compos mentis' or 'The prisoner was found to be non compos mentis' but not 'The compos mentis prisoner entered a plea of 'Not guilty.
