Questions tagged [word-formation]

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3 votes
1 answer
263 views

Why is "occurring yearly" "anniversarius" and not "annoversarius"?

The stem of "annus" (year) is "anno-" and not "anni-", so why is "occurring each year" "anniversarius" and not "annoversarius"?
FlatAssembler's user avatar
3 votes
0 answers
85 views

Is there a semantic difference between -icus and -alis?

As far as I know both suffixes can be used to create an adjective from a noun. e.g. numericus and numeralis (and even numericalis!) Is there a semantic difference between them, a preferred suffix for ...
user avatar
5 votes
0 answers
104 views

Principles of forming epic poem titles from words

Could someone point me to a reliable source towards how are the -ας/-ις/etc. suffixes are applied to form the titles of epic poems? For example, why Ίλιον > Ἰλιάς but Ἀχιλλεύς > Ἀχιλληΐς, and ...
Alexander Z.'s user avatar
3 votes
1 answer
131 views

Are "ἑκάτερος" and "ἕκαστος" different degrees of the same adjective?

ἕκαστος (hekastos) means "each of many"; ἑκάτερος (hekateros) means "each of two." These forms look (respectively) like the superlative and comparative degree of the same word *...
brianpck's user avatar
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3 votes
1 answer
193 views

What is the -ē form in “Latīnē loquor”?

To say you speak in Latin or in Greek, you say “Latīne” or “Graecē”. What is that -ē form? I cannot figure it out from any declension table I am aware of. Does the same -ē ending work for any other ...
Florianus's user avatar
  • 423
9 votes
1 answer
864 views

In what way is Odysseus διογενής?

In the Odyssey, Odysseus is sometimes addressed as διογενής "Zeus-born". For example, 11.60: διογενὲς Λαερτιάδη, πολυμήχαν' Ὀδυσσεῦ O Zeus-born son of Laërtes, Odysseus of many tricks… ...
Draconis's user avatar
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4 votes
1 answer
103 views

Does a general rule for forming Locative Singular exist?

If I understood right the Locative is mostly to be formed in singular (e.g. domi, ruri, ...). Some websites say that we just use the same form as the genitive, some websites say that we use the ...
Cyb3rKo's user avatar
  • 616
3 votes
2 answers
187 views

How is the (rare) Locative Plural formed?

If I understood right the Locative is only to be formed in singular (e.g. domi, ruri, ...). But when it comes to words (especially cities / small islands) that only exist in Plural (e.g. Athenae) we ...
Cyb3rKo's user avatar
  • 616
7 votes
1 answer
174 views

Are there unprefixed location verbs in Latin?

Two basic types of prefixed denominal locative verbs can be distinguished in Latin: the ones in (1) can be said to “agglutinate” a prepositional phrase expressing (dis)location, i.e., the place (cf. ...
Mitomino's user avatar
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8 votes
2 answers
220 views

Why vowel lengthening in Greek compounds?

In Greek compounds, when the second member of the compounds begins with a short vowel, this vowel is often lengthened: στρατ-ηγός < ἄγω ἀν-ώνυμος < ὄνομα ἡμι-ώβολον < ὀβολός What is ...
TKR's user avatar
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