For today, you will learn the plural of neuter nouns and adjectives of the 2nd declension: bonum, "good (thing)," singular, becomes bona, "good (things)." You actually know this neuter ending already because we sometimes use it to make Latin plurals in English: "medium" gives us plural "media," "datum" gives us plural "data, " bacterium" gives us plural "bacteria," and "curriculum" gives us plural "curricula."
And here is the slideshow (with cats) of the words you have seen before:
And here are today's proverbs:
1. Non nova sed nove.
Not new (things), but in-a-new-way.
non nova sed nove.
The word nova is the plural form of novum.
The word nove is an adverb formed from this same adjective: "newly, in a new way."
2. Ne verba pro farina.
Don't (offer) words instead-of flour.
ne verba pro fa-RI-na.
The word verba is the plural form of verbum. It could be either nominative or accusative, and you have to decided based on context. In this saying, it is the accusative object of an implied verb.
4. Vestigia nulla retrorsum.
Not-any footprints going-back-out.
ves-TI-gia nulla retr-OR-sum.
The word vestigia is the plural form of vestigium, "footprint, track," as in English "vestige" and also "investigate." The adjective nulla is neuter plural, agreeing with vestigia.
5. Non semper Bacchanalia.
(It's) not always a-Bacchanalia.
non semper Baccha-NA-lia.
The word Bacchanalia is a noun used only in the plural. It is a wild feast in honor of the the Greco-Roman god Bacchus, who presides over wine. You can read more about this old Roman festival at Wikipedia: Bacchanalia.
Here's a recap:
Plus the LOLCats!
And here is the slideshow (with cats) of the words you have seen before:
1. Non nova sed nove.
Not new (things), but in-a-new-way.
non nova sed nove.
The word nova is the plural form of novum.
The word nove is an adverb formed from this same adjective: "newly, in a new way."
2. Ne verba pro farina.
Don't (offer) words instead-of flour.
ne verba pro fa-RI-na.
The word verba is the plural form of verbum. It could be either nominative or accusative, and you have to decided based on context. In this saying, it is the accusative object of an implied verb.
The word ne is a conjunction in Latin that goes with an imperative or a subjunctive verb, so even though there is no explicit verb in this saying, you can supply a verb based on the context: "Don't (offer, give, provide, etc.) words instead of flour." In other words: when someone is hungry, words will not fill their stomach.
The word farina, "flour" or "meal" (i.e. cornmeal, oatmeal, etc.) refers metaphorically to bread, and to food in general. The form here is ablative (farinā), the form needed for the preposition pro.
This is one of the sayings that Erasmus included in his Adagia.
3. Stipendia peccati mors.
The-wages of-sin (are) death.
sti-PEN-dia pec-CA-ti mors.
The word stipendia is the plural form of stipendium, which gives us English "stipend."
3. Stipendia peccati mors.
The-wages of-sin (are) death.
sti-PEN-dia pec-CA-ti mors.
The word stipendia is the plural form of stipendium, which gives us English "stipend."
The word peccati is the genitive form of peccatum, "mistake, error" or, in this Christian saying, "sin." You haven't seen this noun before, but you have seen the verb peccat, and you can see this root in English "impeccable" and "peccadillo."
The words come from the Biblical Letter to the Romans.
4. Vestigia nulla retrorsum.
Not-any footprints going-back-out.
ves-TI-gia nulla retr-OR-sum.
The word vestigia is the plural form of vestigium, "footprint, track," as in English "vestige" and also "investigate." The adjective nulla is neuter plural, agreeing with vestigia.
This saying alludes to a famous Aesop's fable about a lion who pretends to be sick, and when his loyal subjects come to visit their king, he gobbles them up. The fox, however, is skeptical and refuses to come in. When the lion asks why, she says its because vestigia nulla retrorsum; she can see lots of footprints going in, but no footprints coming out.
5. Non semper Bacchanalia.
(It's) not always a-Bacchanalia.
non semper Baccha-NA-lia.
The word Bacchanalia is a noun used only in the plural. It is a wild feast in honor of the the Greco-Roman god Bacchus, who presides over wine. You can read more about this old Roman festival at Wikipedia: Bacchanalia.
The idea is that, sooner or the later, the party's over! Compare the English saying "Christmas comes but once a year."
Here's a recap:
- Non nova sed nove.
- Ne verba pro farina.
- Stipendia peccati mors.
- Vestigia nulla retrorsum.
- Non semper Bacchanalia.
Plus the LOLCats!
