"Brotherhood"

[tylerforeal]

I was wondering what the literal translation, and the variations for "brotherhood" are. Please and thank you!

 

[Iynx]

It really depends on context. You probably want:

Fraternitas, fraternitatis (f).

But the relationship between biological brothers is germanitas, and an organization ("Brotherhood of X, Local #Y") would probably be a sodalitas.

 

[tylerforeal]

So if I was referring to a "brotherhood" such as a small organization of very close friends.. I would go with fraternitas? or sodalitas?

 

[QMF]

I'd say sodalitas. Fraternitas seems a bit more biological (or at least pertinent to marriage) than our modern word "brotherhood." But that's me; I'm not entirely sure of how these terms really function in literature.

 

[tylerforeal]

Thank you very much for your help!

 

[Iynx]

Sodalitas is probably the one you want.

Fraternitas seems classically to have referred only to the quality (as in "Libery, Fraternity, Equality").

But my medieval times, while it retained that sense, it could (according to Niermeyer) mean a religious community, as of monks or canons, a "community of prayers or good works" or the membership of such a community, a "merchant or craft guild", or "a sworn association in a city [or] commune". So if fraternitas sounds better to you, I don't think it would be incorrect.

You might also consider using just Fratres "brothers", somehow qualified, as in, say Fratres Viciniae Veteris, "Brothers of the Old Neighborhood".