Ch 12 · Lesson 4Latin · Chapter 12 · Lesson 4 · Grammar primer
Bona fide, agenda, vice versa: endings English froze
An ablative made an adjective, a neuter plural made a singular, an ablative absolute in daily use. Then the misuses: per say, ect., AD as after death.
The short version
is an ablative English made an adjective
Why?Hide
means in good faith: both words are ablative. English met it inside legal sentences and turned it into an adjective, a , which Latin could never say. The nominative , a feminine singular, then came in separately as a noun.
Endings English froze
| Phrase | Literally | The ending |
|---|---|---|
| in good faith | ablative |
curriculum | the course of a life | genitive: of a life |
| in the year of the Lord | |
| things to be done | neuter plural |
| things given | neuter plural |
| the turn having been turned | an ablative absolute |
| the state in which | short for |
| what for what | |
is the whole story in two words. English met an ablative, in good faith, and made it an adjective: a . Then the nominative , a feminine singular, came in separately and is often given a plural verb: his are impeccable.
is an ablative absolute, a noun and a participle in the ablative making a little clause of their own. You have been using the construction that stops Latin learners cold for years.
How English these fossils have become is a gradient:
- per sea set phrase
- bona fidenow an adjective
- agendanow a singular noun
- vetonow a verb: vetoed
Mistakes English speakers make
| Wrong | Right | Why |
|---|---|---|
| per say | | |
| ect. | etc. | |
| i.e. before a sample | e.g. | i.e. restates; e.g. samples |
| ad = slapdash | for this one purpose | the Latin says only "for this" |
| AD = after death | in the year of the Lord | |
| carpe = seize | pluck the day | carpo is pluck |
Going further: Prepositions with the ablative and the rest of the guide, when you want them. This lesson does not need them.
Practice
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