Pontifex maximus pointed out that the term existed before there were any bridges in Rome and derived the word from Old Latin "pontis" (sic) meaning a powerful or absolute master, while others derived it from "potis facere" in the sense of "able to sacrifice". The last derivation is mentioned also by Varro, who rejected it, but it was the view of Pontifex Maximus Quintus Scaevola. Others have held that the word was originally "pompifex" (leader of public processions). The word "pons" originally meant "way" and "pontifex" would thus mean "maker of roads and bridges". Another opinion is that the word is a
Latin word order based, and establishing what nuances of meaning or emphasis could be obtained by using different word orders. Two major recent works on Latin word order, based on different approaches, are those of Devine and Stephens (2006) and Olga Spevak (2010). It is generally agreed that pragmatic factors play a major role in Latin word order, that is, factors such as topic and focus, contrast, emphasis, and heaviness. The topic (what is being talked about) often tends to come at the beginning of the sentence, and the focus (what is said about the topic) at the end or in penultimate position.