Questions tagged [grammar-choice]

When asking which choice (case, tense, mood etc.) is grammatical in a given situation, use this tag.

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Is "fatigando" a Gerund or a Gerundive in this Quote from Sallust?

Sallust, Jugurthine 3. 3-4: "frustra autem niti neque aliud se fatigando nisi odium quaerere extremae dementiae est; nisi forte quem inhonesta et perniciosa libido tenet potentiae paucorum decus ...
tony's user avatar
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5 votes
1 answer
140 views

Why is this indirect command not expressed with "ut" + subjunctive?

In chapter XXVII of Lingua latina per se illustrata. Familia Romana I've learned that indirect commands are expressed with ut + subjunctive. For instance, in lines 109–110, we find Colōnō imperat ut ...
Charo's user avatar
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3 votes
1 answer
96 views

Haud sciō an ego ita dīxerim

In the line 84 page 264 of Lingua Latine per se illustrata, Gubernātor says Haud sciō an ego ita dīxerim, sed pro­ fectō lībertās mihi vītā cārior est. ... The part I am interested is Haud sciō an ...
Dolphínus's user avatar
-1 votes
1 answer
119 views

¿Qué significa "quoniam igitur"? / What's the meaning of "quoniam igitur"?

En la pagina 262, linea 16, de Lingua latina per se illustrata, la linea empieza con Quoniam igitur ... Según el diccionario ilustrado Vox, quoniam significa puesto que o después que, y igitur ...
Dolphínus's user avatar
5 votes
2 answers
623 views

Mysterious use of accusative instead of nominative in " delphīnus, cantū allectus, repente hominem natantem subiit eumque in dorsō suō..."

Around the line 100 of the page 236 of Lingua Latina per se illustrata, there is the sentence Tum vēro nova et mīra rēs accidit: delphīnus, cantū allectus, repente hominem natantem subiit eumque in ...
Dolphínus's user avatar
4 votes
1 answer
157 views

How can I avoid ambiguity when using terms with declinations included in phrases?

By the question Nested genitive?, it is possible to say "gas mask of my friend" as persona gasi amící meí, but this kind of nested genitives are prone to ambiguity in the general case, so is ...
Dolphínus's user avatar
5 votes
1 answer
212 views

Sub specie precariae linguae or sub specie linguae precariae?

This is a rather small doubt, but I'm currently a bit confused regarding the proper word order of an adjective-noun under a genitive form of the sort "sub specie..." Am I correct in assuming ...
Sho's user avatar
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2 votes
2 answers
46 views

What does Una Excelsior mean?

I'm looking for a good phrase to encapsulate "ever upward, together" and i'd like to use Una, Excelsior Any thoughts or other suggestions?
theLeo's user avatar
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2 answers
381 views

Why is "ad eum" and not a dative pronoun used in this sentence?

This is a sentence in lines 153-154 of chapter XVIII of Lingua latina per se illustrata. Familia Romana: Cum pater tuus abest, oportet tē epistulās ad eum scribere. Is there any reason why ad eum (...
Charo's user avatar
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8 votes
2 answers
584 views

Why "suam" and not "eius" is used in this sentence?

In lines 63-70 of chapter XVIII of Lingua latina per se illustrata. Familia Romana, one reads: Discipuli magistro tabulās suas dant. [...] Magister suam cuique discipulō tabulam reddit, prīmum Sexto, ...
Charo's user avatar
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7 votes
1 answer
120 views

Do we use "satis multum" + genitive to convey "a sufficient amount of"?

The following sentence comes from lines 126-128 of chapter XVI of Lingua latina per se illustrata. Familia Romana: Nāvis aquā implērī incipit, neque enim nautae satis multum aquae haurīre possunt. ...
Charo's user avatar
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7 votes
1 answer
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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 ...
Charo's user avatar
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3 votes
1 answer
106 views

Usage of pronouns in chapter VIII of Lingua latina per se illustrata

This excerpt comes from lines 138-139 of chapter VIII of the 2003 edition of Lingua latina per se illustrata:       Quis saccum portat? Servus saccum portat. Quī servus? Servus quī saccum portat est ...
Charo's user avatar
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3 votes
4 answers
816 views

How can I express "to make a wish"?

I want a phrase for "to make a wish" instead of a single verb "to wish", in order to make the line of lyrics long enough for the music. The noun for "wish" may be optatum,...
Kotoba Trily Ngian's user avatar
1 vote
1 answer
164 views

Why isn’t the phrase “quid nomen tibi es” instead of “quid nomen tibi est”

Same with “quid nomen mihi est.” why isn’t it “quid nomen mihi sum”? Does it have to do with mihi and tibi?
Human Person's user avatar
1 vote
1 answer
123 views

What does "vestem scindebat" mean?

In LLPSI (CAP. XXV, line 111), Ørberg wrote the following: multīs cum lacrimīs capillum et vestem scindēbat I would have expected "vestem scidit", since the action of tearing clothes is ...
richardIII's user avatar
6 votes
1 answer
288 views

"neuter e duobus pueris" vs "neuter puer"

In LLPSI, there is the following sentence: Iam neuter ē duōbus pueris dormit. I was wondering if it was equivalent to Neuter puer jam dormit. If so, is there any reason to add "e duobus"?...
richardIII's user avatar
8 votes
1 answer
374 views

"redire ad" or "redire in"

In LLPSI, one can read: Medus, qui Graecus est, in patriam suam redire vult. I would have expected Medus, qui Graecus est, ad patriam suam redire vult. Indeed Cicero uses "redire ad se atque ...
richardIII's user avatar
4 votes
1 answer
197 views

On the mechanics of reality

How would you say "on the mechanics of reality" I'm not happy with my own translation but I can't quite put the finger of what im doing wrong Help!
Emanuel Valdez's user avatar
7 votes
1 answer
2k views

How to have my hair cut?

I am looking for an expression for "I am having my hair cut". When I have my hair cut, I ask someone to cut my hair, instead of cutting my hair by myself. With secare for to cut, I think of ...
Kotoba Trily Ngian's user avatar
3 votes
1 answer
351 views

Why does the conjugation of Ēsse (Edere) vary dictionary-wise?

I am using LLPSI to learn latin. I came across the word "ēst" meaning "He/She/It eats". I looked further to see the whole conjugation table. I found that there are some differences ...
Sapiens's user avatar
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4 votes
1 answer
126 views

Is the expression "ut poësis pictura" formally correct?

I'm writing an essay in which I'd like to use the expression "ut poësis pictura" with the intent of flipping the original expression by Horace "ut pictura poësis". I never studied ...
pat's user avatar
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8 votes
2 answers
360 views

What is the difference between "in umerīs" and "in umerōs"?

In chapter 6 of LLPSI, we have the following sentence Syrus et Lēander duōs saccōs in umerīs portant While in chapter 9, we have: Pāstor laetus ovem in umerōs impōnit. Why the ablative in the ...
Sapiens's user avatar
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4 votes
4 answers
1k views

Why the use of "eum" instead of "eius" in

The following sentence is from the book "Fabellae latinae", chapter 9 "Ōrnāmentae dominae", Nam ānulus ad eum digitum convenit. What I cannot understand is the use of "eum&...
Sapiens's user avatar
  • 337
6 votes
1 answer
120 views

Translation of "I am made from the dust of the stars"

I am looking to have something embodied that says: "I am made from the dust of the stars" The quote is for a man, and I rather keep the to-be verb in the present tense (I am, not I was) if ...
pmdci's user avatar
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3 votes
0 answers
69 views

"Most of the books are already written"

What are some ways to say "Most of the books are already written" (and preferably avoid ambiguity with many)? This question was triggered by this sentence from Seneca (Moral Letters 79): ...
d_e's user avatar
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7 votes
2 answers
833 views

Why is "astra" in plural in this sentence?

I've found this sentence in an Italian book for Latin learners (emphasis mine): Mathematici Graeci saepe lunam astraque intuiti sunt You can read the whole text here. If "astra" refers to &...
Charo's user avatar
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3 votes
3 answers
329 views

Translation for attributive "one-day"

What is the best translation for the attributive "one-day" (i.e. "that lasts one day)? For example, consider: one-day tour one-day conference Additional: How about "two-day",...
Kotoba Trily Ngian's user avatar
3 votes
0 answers
84 views

What tense stops Latin imperfect ("action continuing in the past")

Can Latin imperfect be "stopped" in the past or only in the present? from A&G 471.b: b. With iam diū, iam dūdum, and other expressions of duration of time, the imperfect denotes an ...
d_e's user avatar
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0 votes
1 answer
62 views

Any idea what's going on with the middle term of this dedication?

So I think the words are clear enough—Nobilissimo Principi FREDERICO GEORGII ffilio Celsissimi, GEORGII Nep: Augustissimi, CAESARI destinato, M. BRITANNIAE spei, Delicijs, Animaq. desideratissimae, ...
lly's user avatar
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7 votes
1 answer
560 views

Use of 'suus' in 'ignoranti quem portum petat nullus suus ventus est'

Seneca, Epistolae LXXI: ignoranti quem portum petat nullus suus ventus est commonly translated as 'he who does not know which port he is heading to has no favourable wind'. Could anyone explain what ...
Alexandre's user avatar
  • 481
6 votes
1 answer
404 views

Why does Latin show some adverbs as conjunctions?

Some words in Latin are shown as being adverbs, yet they have the meaning of conjunctions, at least I guess. The word "quapropter" can be an example. I don't know if I'm mistaken, but I find ...
user avatar
5 votes
1 answer
155 views

Chosing between the different ways to make an adverb

I was thinking of translating “That is not dead which can eternal lie” into Latin for fun, thinking it was not only applicable to Cthulhu, but to the Latin language itself :) But I got stumped trying ...
Florianus's user avatar
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5 votes
1 answer
128 views

Why is regenerationis genitive in lavacro regenerationis?

Context: ...quae quidem translatio post Evangelium promulgatum sine lavacro regenerationis aut eius voto fieri non potest... I understand that lavacro is in the ablative case because sine is paired ...
Glorius's user avatar
  • 173
4 votes
1 answer
84 views

Expansion of medical Latin abbreviation (ventric. later. dextr.)

I don't know enough Latin grammar to properly expand this abbreviation: ventric. later. dextr. I am aware that it means the right lateral ventricle in the brain, the lateral ventricles as a whole ...
meide's user avatar
  • 399
9 votes
2 answers
157 views

"nemo aliquid facit nisi qui" + indicative or subjunctive

In another question, a reference was given to Varro: De subus nemini ignotum, nisi qui apros non putat sues vocari. which was translated as: As to swine, everybody knows — except those who think ...
d_e's user avatar
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6 votes
3 answers
229 views

How do you use a numeral as a genitive substantive?

In English, you can use a bare numeral as a substantive and refer to a group as something like "The Nine." You can then say something like, "The House of the Nine." How would you ...
Adam's user avatar
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6 votes
1 answer
1k views

Why is 'cum' followed by the dative in this sentence?

Look at the following sentence from Orberg's Lingua Latina Per Se Illustrata - Familia Romana (ch. 18). Consonans per se syllabam non facit, sed semper cum vocali in eadem syllaba iungitur. The word ...
Thomas Wening's user avatar
7 votes
1 answer
642 views

In "I saw the women crying" would femina be accusative?

If you translate "I saw the women crying" would it be feminas with the accusative? The women are both the object of the seeing and the subject of the crying which is confusing me. I am new ...
Simd's user avatar
  • 261
3 votes
1 answer
237 views

3rd declension accusative plurals

I am being driven round the bend by people’s insistence on “playing Horace on original instruments” and I need some way out of the morass. At school the 3rd declension accusative plural ending was -es ...
Martin Kochanski's user avatar
9 votes
2 answers
232 views

Can we use the gerund passively?

In a recent question it was pointed out that there is no passive gerund, and cupido amandi can't mean the desire of being loved. But I'm not sure that this is the case. I tend to view the gerund as ...
d_e's user avatar
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4 votes
1 answer
80 views

What is it about?

I believe "liber de bellō est" would mean "the book is about/concerning war". What question would elicet that as a response? I.e. how would I say "what is the book about/...
Paulus Filius Rogeri's user avatar
5 votes
1 answer
138 views

Translation of "The ant labors for the good of the nest"

I'm looking to translate "The ant labors for the good of the nest", or to rephrase, "The ant works for the benefit of the nest/hive/colony". So far I've come up with: formica ...
Caw's user avatar
  • 53
2 votes
0 answers
67 views

What numbers (e.g. 0, -1, or 1.0) are plurals in Latin?

The basic question is: With which numbers should I use a plural form of the noun? Background: English In English it seems to me that the only singular number is 1 (and maybe -1), but everything else ...
Joonas Ilmavirta's user avatar
7 votes
1 answer
380 views

General question about nouns and adjectives (can nouns be adjectives and how to decline)

I know that in Latin, adjectives can act as nouns (substantives) e.g. Romani urbem petiverunt. The Romans attacked the city. However, can nouns act as adjectives? For example, stone (lapis, m) and ...
grumio's user avatar
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5 votes
0 answers
72 views

Why "absolute" instead of "absolutam"?

There's a famous piece of mathematics by János Bolyai, originally published in Latin, under the title Scientiam Spatii Absolute Veram Exhibens: A Veritate Aut Falsitate Axiomatis XI Euclidei, A Priori ...
Draconis's user avatar
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6 votes
2 answers
475 views

Analysis of sentence "hunc Dātamēs vīnctum ad rēgem dūcendum trādit Mithridātī"

I am confused by the grammar (or rather wikipedia's analysis) of the sentence Hunc Dātamēs vīnctum ad rēgem dūcendum trādit Mithridātī. (Nepos) It appears in a wikipedia article where its ...
JMC's user avatar
  • 163
3 votes
1 answer
653 views

Signing your name: vocative or nominative?

When signing your name at the end of a letter, should you use the vocative case or the nominative case?
Ben Kovitz's user avatar
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2 votes
1 answer
100 views

Is Titus-Livy's "ab Urbe Condita" 26.1.9 an Example of Informal Indirect Speech?

Livy's "ab Urbe Condita" (26.1.9) is a complete sentence which includes three (numbered) relative "qui"-clauses: "C. Sulpicio (i) cui Sicilia evenerat duae legiones (ii) quas ...
tony's user avatar
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3 votes
1 answer
54 views

Meaning and grammar of ‘ōrātiōnī aspergere salēs’

The phrase ‘ōrātiōnī aspergere salēs’ literally means ‘to sprinkle [grains of] salt on the oration’. The grammar in itself is simple enough: ōrātiōnī: in the dative, presumably because of the verb ...
Canned Man's user avatar
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