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Here I have two words:

verto, vertere, verti, versum (versus)
vertor, verti, versus sum, — (I assume it's deponent)

They both mean "turn" according to the Cambridge Latin Course Book V, but a quick search on wikitionary of vertor says:

first-person singular present passive indicative of vertō

Does anyone know whether vertor actually exists, and if so, why it does and it's difference to verto?

2
  • 1
    Grumio est in culina!
    – Sam K
    Dec 17, 2016 at 2:52
  • They're the same word (and it really exists), but it is not really passive,
    – L. Peters
    Dec 17, 2016 at 14:07

1 Answer 1

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There is no separate vertor; they're the same word. However, it's not truly passive. Verto in the passive can have a middle sense, i.e. where you are the actor doing the action to yourself. The OLD spells it out clearly:

  1. (pass. in middle sense, cf. uersor) To go to and fro, move about (in a place). b (of affairs, etc.) to be involved (in difficulties). b to be active, occupy oneself (in a sphere). d (usu. leg. of factors) to be involved (in a case).

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