Disputatio:Dux civitatis

Dux vs. Caput

In commentario Australia, videmus:

Dux civitatis:

Elizabeth II Australiae

Sed certe dux illius civitatis est eius primus minister, et regina est eius caput, ut fuit Malietoa Tanumafili II, caput civitatis Samoae? IacobusAmor 19:04, 14 Maii 2009 (UTC)

The concepts you're talking about correspond to our current

• Dux civitatis and Categoria:Duces civitatum, Anglice Head of state
• Dux Gubernationis and Categoria:Gubernatores civitatum, Anglice Head of government

I think we currently use caput more often for a capital city than for a top chap. What fun! Andrew Dalby (disputatio) 19:32, 14 Maii 2009 (UTC)

Cassell's says the basic sense of dux is 'guide, conductor', perhaps more applicable to a head of government than to a head of state; its second sense is 'a leader, ruler,' especially 'a military or naval commander'. Caput, in contrast, is a 'head'. The Samoan example is pertinent because the Samoans (guided by experts in English jurisprudence) chose the Samoan word ao for this person in their country, and ao specifically means 'head' (yes, as of the body, i.e. caput), not 'leader', for which their language has an otherwise handy term derived from a verb meaning 'to lead, to guide' (and thereby quite analogous with dux and ducere). In constitutional monarchies, the head of state is mostly a follower, not a leader. Maybe the contrast is OK though, insofar as it distinguishes between the 'X of the state' and the 'X of the steering'. IacobusAmor 20:02, 14 Maii 2009 (UTC)