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festina lente |
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| 1.1 Revision of the verb "To be" |
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For the time being in RLG we only meet the present tense
of this and other regular verbs.
RLG: Page 2-3
Revise the form of the verb sum and read the points about
word-order in sentences with sum. Complete the reading exercise on page 4 |
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| 1.2 Revision of present indicative active |
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| Revise amo and habeo RLG: page 8-9 How can I tell the conjugation of a verb? RLG: page 8 RLG: page 9
complete exercise 1 Do you know the difference between -ere(2nd) and -ere(3rd)? |
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1.3 Revision of the cases in Latin
- Latin is an inflected language. This is the problem! It has several different forms or cases for the same noun or adjective. It differentiates between singular and plural, as you might expect, but also between genders: masculine , feminine and neuter.
- Make sure you know what the functions are of each of the cases
RLG: page 9-11
Read carefully sections 6 and 7.
- Now read these sections again! You will not get a better explanation of the case system in any other book!
- Point 5 on page 11 will also help you to understand the use of the apostrophe in English!
- The vocative case is not included in any of the tables in RLG, but you may already have learnt word tables which includes it. If this is so, continue to recite the vocative!
RLG: page 25
Read paragraph 17A on the vocative.
1.4 1st declension nouns
- These are nearly all feminine.
- Revise serua (or serva if you prefer, you may be more familiar with the 'v' rather than the 'u') and read the accompanying notes.
- Pay particular attention to notes 1 and 2. (page 12)
1.5 2nd declension nouns
- These are masculine if their nominative ends in -us, but neuter if the nominative ends in -um
Revise seruus (or servus, if you prefer...)
Read the notes on 2nd declension neuter nouns on page 24.
- You may be more familiar with and prefer to recite a word like bellum (war) or vinum (wine), than somnium (dream). All textbooks have their own favourite model word - so there is no reason why you should not have yours!
- A small number of 2nd declension nouns have a nominative which ends in - r. But in all other cases they are quite regular.
eg
puer, pueri m boy
vir, viri m man
culter, cultri m knife (note the stem!)
(these words are fully declined on page 49 of RLG)
1.6 Prepositions
- Little words in Latin, but they have a huge impact on the meaning of a sentence .
- Learn the preposition itself (which is indeclinable ie it doesn't show case change) but, just as importantly, learn the case of the noun which the preposition governs:
eg in villa (ablative)= in the house BUT
in villam(accusative) = into the house (implying movement)
- Build up your own list of prepositions together with the case which they govern.
- read the note on the prepositions a(b) and e(x) on page 40 of RLG
- translation of a Latin sentence requires patience and a bit of sleuthing!
Read the translation hint on pages 14 - 15 of RLG
Exercises from Latin Sentences:
- Make sure you read the notes to these exercises before you begin
Exercise 21: nos. 1 - 20 (nominative)
Exercise 22: nos 1 - 20 (accusative)
1.7 3rd declension nouns
- This is the largest group of nouns in Latin so make sure you revise thoroughly the system of endings. You may prefer as your model words like rex or mercator which you may have met before to the words offered in RLG page 20 (fur and aedis)
- Since you will not have to translate from English in to Latin, you need not worry about when a noun does or does not have an ablative in - i or a genitive in - ium
- There are masculine, feminine and neuter nouns in this declension but, despite the inevitable exceptions, the pattern of endings is predictable.
- The nominative form of the word does not usually show any obvious ending and so it will not tell you the stem of the word. It is essential, therefore, that you always learn both the nominative and genitive form of nouns. eg pes, ped-is 'foot'; rex, reg-is 'king'
RLG: page 21
Read note 3
RLG: page 22
Do exercise 2
RLG: page 48
Revise nomen - an example of a neuter noun of the 3rd declension
Exercises from Latin Sentences:
- Make sure you read the notes to these exercises before you begin
Exercise 23: nos 1 - 20 (genitive)
Exercise 24: nos 1 - 20 (dative)
Exercise 25: nos 3 - 20 (ablative)
Exercise 26: nos 1 - 20 (ablative)
1.8 Adjectives
- Adjectives are describing words and must show agreement with the noun or pronoun in gender, number and case.
- There are two groups of adjectives in Latin: one set which uses the system of endings of 1st and 2nd declension nouns; and another which uses the endings of the third declension. When you meet an adjective for the first time, you should learn the masculine, feminine, and neuter nominative form:
eg bonus, bona, bonum - good (1st/2nd declension)
fortis, fortis, forte (3rd declension)
- 1st/2nd declension adjectives are not just for 1st/2nd declension nouns! ANY adjective can be used to describe ANY noun!
- The best way to learn the adjective table is across the page:
multus, multa, multum/ multum, multam, multum/ multi, multae, multi/ etc etc
- There is a small number of 1st/2nd declension adjectives which have their masculine nominative ending in - er. Make sure you check the genitive form to see what the stem is. The usual endings can then be added.
eg
miser misera miserum (stem miser - ) wretched
pulcher pulchra pulchrum (stem pulchr - ) beautiful
tener tenera tenerum (stem tener - ) tender
RLG: pages 22 - 23
Read carefully Notes 1 - 7 .
- Notes 6 and 7 are particularly useful.
1.9 Apposition
- An adjective is a word which gives more information about a noun or pronoun.
- But any word or phrase which gives more information about a noun is, in a sense, acting in an adjectival way.
- Such words or phrases are said to stand in apposition to the noun.
RLG: page 25
Read carefully paragraph 17A
- From now on, wherever possible, you will be asked to do exercises from RLG which require you to translate real Latin from Roman authors. Here is the first one:
RLG: page 26
Exercise 5
- This exercise practises agreement of nouns and adjectives .
- But once you have translated the sentence, give some thought to what you think the author meant. Write a word or two of explanation for each sentence. Then say whether you agree or not.
RLG: page 29
Do exercise 4
- This exercise uses vocabulary which is prominent in RLT. If you are unfamiliar with any of the vocabulary, use the 'running' vocabularies ( eg pages 1, 6, and 18) or the Total Learning Vocabulary on pages 557ff.
- look out for examples of appositional words and phrases!
1.10 Deliciae Latinae page 30ff 1
- "Latin delights", indeed! You will be prompted to read these sections every time they come up, but you should need no persuasion. You will positively look forward to reading them, with eager anticipation. You will quickly realise the true value and worth of Latin. Read every bit. Do every exercise. Tell your family and friends with delight what you have learnt after each and every Deliciae Latinae.
- Choose your favourite greeting. (page35) Have a different one for each of your nearest and dearest!
Back to business
1.11 The Imperative
- This is also known as direct command
- Most verbs have an imperative form. It is the form of the verb you use when you give an order or command. It is addressed to the 2nd person singular or plural. It has two forms to indicate whether one person or more than one person is being addressed.
- In English, you would say "Give to me!" as an instruction to one, or more than one person.
- In Latin, you would say "da mihi" to one person, but "date mihi" if you wanted to give the command to more than one person.
- The singular form is the bare stem of the verb; the plural form simply adds -te
- Learn the imperative form for each conjugation now:
ama habe rege audi
amate habete regite audite
- You will meet a number of verbs which have an irregular form of the imperative. See how many of these you know - add any others you can think of to this list:
fer/ferte fac/facite duc/ducite
- Learn the mnemonic on page 60 (note 1 under section 37 of RLG)
- a mnemonic is anything which will help you remember something - like tying a knot in your handkerchief or a rhyme like '30 days hath September, April, June and November .............')
- Sentences which contain an imperative very often end with an exclamation mark!
RLG page 37
Do exercise 2
- The imperative is used when you want to give a positive command.
- To tell someone NOT to do something, Latin uses the imperative form of nolo ('I am unwilling') together with the infinitive of the verb which follows : eg
noli amare - do not love = literally "be unwilling to love"
nolite ire - do not go = literally "be unwilling to go"
- These are the simplest forms of command. You will meet more complex forms later.
Exercise from Latin Sentences
Ex. 32: nos. 2, 3, 4, 9, 13, 16,
1.12 Personal pronouns
- These words are mainly used for emphasis. To express the phrase 'I have', Latin can simply say habeo. There is no need for ego, unless you want to emphasise that I have ... (whereas someone else doesn't ........)
RLG page 39; 69-70
Revise the personal pronouns for 'I' and 'you'.
Read carefully notes 1, 2, and 3
Revise the plural forms on pages 69-70
RLG page 40
Some real Latin again: do Exercise 3 a-e
- think about what these Roman writers are saying - do you agree?
RLG page 42
do Reading exercise
- look out for examples of imperative here
- you may need to check the form of the verb ire (page 37-39) before you begin
1.13 Deliciae Latinae page 43ff 2
- Enjoy and share with others!
1.14 3rd and 4th conjugation Verbs
You have already revised 1st and 2nd conjugation verbs, now revise 3rd and 4th.
RLG page 47
Learn dico and audio,
- pay attention to the notes, especially the idea again of 'key' vowels.
- you may already have learnt a different model verb for the 3rd conjugation: eg rego. If so, compare the imperative form of dico, which is irregular.
1.15 Interrogative pronoun/adjective
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