Chap 7

Question 1

Third Declension Nouns : Consonant Stem

Answer 1

Nouns of the third declension fall into two general categories : those whose stems end in a consonant , and those whose stems end in -i-

The consonant stem group can then be divided into a further two groups - those that have no distinct ending in the nominative singular , and those that add -s to form the nominative singular . In either consonant group , you can always identify the stem by removing the case ending from the genitive singular form . Masculine and feminine nouns in the third declension use the same set of endings . The Vocative is identical to the Nominative in the singular and plural.

The consonant of the stem may combine with the -s ending of the nominative singular to produce a different spelling. The gender of the noun must be memorised.

Question 2

The Pronoun : Personal ( 1 )

Answer 2

Personal pronouns in Latin , like nouns ( and adjectives ) , have case and number , but they do not fit into regular declensions and are differentiated by person rather than gender : first person ( I , we ) and second person ( you , y’all ) . For third person ( he , she , it , they ) Latin uses another pronoun.

Because a Latin finite verb identified the subject by means of its ending , the nominative forms of the personal pronouns were generally used only for emphasis , contrast or clarity .

In the genitive plural , the forms nostrum and vestrum are used as partitive genitives ; nostrī and vestrī , like meī and tuī , are used objectively.

Question 3

Forms of Possum

Answer 3

Possum is an irregular verb that comes from the combination of the verb sum with potis, an old adjective meaning able. The -t- of the adjective’s stem changes to -s- when followed by a form of sum beginning with s, and the resulting forms all follow the conjugation of sum, which you have already learned.

Question 4

Sentence Pattern : Special Intransitive

Answer 4

In a fourth, less common, sentence pattern, certain intransitive verbs take their object in the dative or ablative instead of the accusative case.

In this pattern the dative or ablative is a necessary core item in the sentence, just as the accusative direct object is with other verbs.

Notice that when sentences with one of these special verbs are translated into English , the object often sounds just like a direct object :