Questions tagged [accusative]
For questions about the accusative case.
16
questions
38
votes
5
answers
2k
views
Accusative equals nominative for neuter words – how universal is this and why?
The first mnemonic for Latin case ending I learnt was that for neuter words, the accusative form is always identical to the nominative form. This applies even to exotic word endings like animal or id, ...
- 1,174
5
votes
2
answers
711
views
Did Latin have any ergative verbs?
An "ergative verb" is a verb that can either take two nouns (a subject and an object) or only one (a subject), where the object of the two-noun form corresponds to the subject of the one-noun form.
...
- 69k
10
votes
2
answers
1k
views
Confusion regarding 'esse' + accusative
I am currently learning Latin from the Bloomsbury Latin to GCSE books. In one of the reading passages the following constructions are used:
"non cupio rex vester esse. dei signum mittent si me ...
10
votes
1
answer
3k
views
When to use the Greek accusative?
The Greek accusative or the accusative of respect (accusativus Graecus or accusativus respectus) is used like the ablative of respect (ablativus respectus).
This construction is a loan from Greek, ...
- 116k
16
votes
3
answers
13k
views
Happy Birthday and the accusative of exclamation
I'd like to say "Happy Birthday [to you]!" in Latin. I see two possibilities in Traupman's Conversational Latin:
Fēlīx nātālis tibi!
Fēlīcem nātālem [tibi exoptō]!
The first is used in ...
- 11.5k
12
votes
1
answer
326
views
Can a verbum deponens go along with an accusativus?
In Plinius I encountered:
"Confitentes iterum ac tertio interrogavi supplicium minatus"
Is supplicium some sort of accusativus belonging to minatus, which comes from deponens minor?
If a form is ...
- 223
10
votes
1
answer
1k
views
Difference between Vocative and Accusative usage
What is the grammatical difference between saying something like Bonam Fortunam (in the accusative) and Bona Fortuna (in the vocative) to another person? I have always heard the former, and I do not ...
- 3,998
9
votes
2
answers
1k
views
Is "servos" accusative plural in Plautus's "is est servos ipse" and, if that's the case, why does "esse" takes accusative case there?
I have some troubles in understanding the syntax of a sentence from Plautus's Captivi, line 580; I need to add glosses. The sentence is "Nam is est servos ipse, neque praeter se umquam ei servos fuit"....
- 91
17
votes
2
answers
2k
views
How do we know that Italian words come from accusatives, not ablatives?
I have been told by several sources that Italian nouns and adjectives that originate from Latin come from accusative forms.
Also the final -m is lost and an u becomes o.
For example, caro > carnem > ...
- 116k
8
votes
1
answer
176
views
Why "decorem indutus est" instead of "decore indutus est"?
Psalm 92 v. 1
Dóminus regnávit, decórem indútus est: * indútus est Dóminus fortitúdinem, et præcínxit se.
The Lord hath reigned, he is clothed with beauty: * the Lord is clothed with strength, and ...
- 633
7
votes
1
answer
1k
views
Why is accusative pronoun "te" used in this construction?
In lines 137-138 of chapter XIII of Lingua latina per se illustrata. Familia Romana one can read:
Iam necesse est tē dormire.
I don't understand why the accusative pronoun tē is used in the above ...
- 2,132
6
votes
4
answers
2k
views
Why nominative instead of accusative with verb "sum"?
Recently I've been learning about the accusative case, in/direct objects and in/transitive verbs. In light of this, consider the phrase:
Nilus fluvius est
I'm interested in the rationale (...
- 12.5k
6
votes
4
answers
437
views
Why use nominative in Coniugatio periphrastica passiva?
Why do we use the nominative case in this example:
Liber legendus est. = The book needs to be read.
If liber is a direct object, then why not put it in accusative?
- 391
6
votes
1
answer
377
views
Verb + esse + predicate nominative
Pueri debent esse boni
Habitus vero mediocritatis intelligitur esse liberatio hominis a dispositionibus subiectibilibus
Why are boni and liberatio nominative? It seems to me that they ought to be ...
- 1,567
6
votes
2
answers
245
views
When are -ns words used with accusative direct objects?
In English, one common generalization is that "-ing" words only take direct objects when they are verb forms, not when they are true adjectives or true nouns. (There are only a few possible exceptions,...
- 29.8k
5
votes
1
answer
609
views
Is there such a thing as the accusativus cum participio (a.c.p)? If not, what is this? (Greek)
This is not a hermeneutics question, but rather, a Greek grammar question inspired by a verse from the Bible. Adverbial clauses are common to English, Ancient Greek, and Latin, and I believe there is ...
- 12.1k