De Casu Nominativo Pluraliter et de Genetivo Singulariter (Latine atque Anglice)

On the Nominative Plural
and Genitive Singular
De Casu Nominatívo Pluráliter
et de Genetívo Singuláriter
Stefano Piccaretta

Here we’re going t o talk about rivers, islands, masters (lords)
and mistresses (ladies), in English and in Latin.

In the English part I ’ll often write the final /z/ sound of rivers etc.
with the letter <z>, for reasons that should be clear anon.

Think about the difference between the sentences
“It’s a river...”
Fluvius Danuvius sive Ister

...and “They are riverz.”
You know that adding that /z/ sound
changes the subject from singular to plural.

...and “They are riverz.”
You know that adding that /z/ sound
changes the subject from singular to plural.
Rule: Adding a /z/ sound to English words
such as river makes them plural.

Notice also how the verb
changes along with the noun:

It is a river.

It is a river.
They are riverz.

Same thing with
“He is a master”

Same thing with
and

Same thing with
and
“They are masterz.”

Same thing with
and
“They are masterz.”
Same
singular → plural
rule.

But now consider the sentence
“It’s this masterz river.”

Now that same /z/ ending no longer makes master
from a singular subject to a plural subject,

Now that same /z/ ending no longer makes master
from a singular subject to a plural subject,
but from a singular subject to a singular owner.

We can do the same thing with river too

We can do the same thing with river too
and with any word that behaves
like river / master / lord, etc.

So, in “the masterz riverz”

(id est, “the master’s rivers”)

the /z/ on masterz

the /z/ on masterz
and the /z/ on riverz

the /z/ on masterz
are not the same thing.

the /z/ on masterz
are not the same thing.
They’re “programming”
the two nouns differently.

And if we say,
“The Rhine and the Danube
are [this] masterz riverz”,

And if we say,
it’s clear that the first /z/ makes master
into a singular owner (they belong to him),

And if we say,
while the second /z/ turns river
from a singular subject to a plural subject.

And if we say,
while the second /z/ turns river
from a singular subject to a plural subject.
Same sound, different meaning/force/effect.

The very same pattern
also holds for Latin!

...At least, with nouns like

fluvius / numerus /
dominus / Julius

fluvius / numerus /
dominus / Julius
and with ones like

fluvius / numerus /
dominus / Julius
and with ones like
insula / littera /
domina / Æmilia.*

fluvius / numerus /
dominus / Julius
and with ones like
insula / littera /
domina / Æmilia.*
*The oppidum/vocabulum type we’ll do later.

If we take
fluvi-us or domin-us,

If we take
it can only be a singular subject.

If we take
But if we have
fluvi-i or domin-i,

If we take
But if we have
fluvi-i or domin-i,
it might be a plural subject:
riverz / masterz

If we take
But if we have
fluvi-i or domin-i,
riverz / masterz
(id est, rivers / masters).

If we take
But if we have
fluvi-i or domin-i,
riverz / masterz
Or it might be a singular owner:
riverz / masterz

If we take
But if we have
fluvi-i or domin-i,
riverz / masterz
Or it might be a singular owner:
riverz / masterz
(id est, river’s / master’s).

(In either language,
you’ll be able to tell
from the context.

from the context.
This takes some
getting used to,
but will soon be
quite natural to you
in Latin,

from the context.
This takes some
getting used to,
but will soon be
quite natural to you
in Latin,
as it already is
in English.)

So, to express in Latin
the idea

the idea
are the masterz riverz”

the idea
are the masterz riverz”
we can say...

Rhenus
[singular subject]
et Danuvius
[singular subject]

Rhenus
[singular subject]
et Danuvius
[singular subject]
sunt fluvii
[plural subject]

Rhenus
[singular subject]
et Danuvius
[singular subject]
sunt fluvii
[plural subject]
domini.
[singular owner]

Rhenus
[singular subject]
et Danuvius
[singular subject]
sunt fluvii
[plural subject]
domini (exempli gratia, Julii).
[singular owner]

We can even swap it around,
with two “masterz”

We can even swap it around,
with two “masterz”
and a single river...

Cornelius [sg. subj.]
et Julius [sg. subj.]

sunt domini [pl. subj.]

fluvii [sg. owner].

fluvii [sg. owner]. (I.e., “the river’s masters.”)

Nota Bene:
In English, to show belonging
you have the option of saying

Nota Bene:
the river’s
(with a genitive ending)

Nota Bene:
the river’s
or

Nota Bene:
the river’s
or
of the river
(with a preposition).

Nota Bene:
the river’s
or
of the river
But

Nota Bene:
the river’s
or
of the river
But
(while languages like French, Spanish and
Italian always use a preposition)

Nota Bene:
the river’s
or
of the river
But
Latin never uses a preposition here,

Nota Bene:
the river’s
or
of the river
But
but always the genitive ending:

Nota Bene:
the river’s
or
of the river
But
but always the genitive ending:
fluvii “river’s”
domini “master’s”.

And what holds for
fluvii “riverz” (rivers/river’s)

And what holds for
fluvii “riverz” (rivers/river’s)
and
domini “masterz” (masters/master’s)...

...also holds for
dominae “laydeez” (ladies/lady’s)

...also holds for
dominae “laydeez” (ladies/lady’s)
and
insulae “islandz” (islands/island’s).

So,
“Corsica & Sardinia
are the laydeez islandz.”

So,
Corsica
[sg. subj.]

So,
Corsica
[sg. subj.]
et Sardinia
[sg. subj.]

So,
Corsica
[sg. subj.]
et Sardinia
[sg. subj.]
sunt insulae
[pl. subj.]

So,
Corsica
[sg. subj.]
et Sardinia
[sg. subj.]
sunt insulae
[pl. subj.]
dominae.
[sg. owner]

Or,
“Fulvia & Claudia
are the islandz laydeez.”

Or,
“Fulvia & Claudia
Fulvia
[sg. subj.]

Or,
“Fulvia & Claudia
Fulvia
[sg. subj.]
et Claudia
[sg. subj.]

Or,
“Fulvia & Claudia
Fulvia
[sg. subj.]
et Claudia
[sg. subj.]
sunt dominae
[pl. subj.]

Or,
“Fulvia & Claudia
Fulvia
[sg. subj.]
et Claudia
[sg. subj.]
sunt dominae
[pl. subj.]
insulae.
[sg. owner]

Notice in the following
which nouns are

which nouns are
subjects

which nouns are
subjects
and which have something else

which nouns are
subjects
belonging
to them.

which nouns are
subjects
belonging
to them.
(The words in parentheses are given just
for the sake of examples: exemplorum gratiā.)

Rhenus & Danuvius sunt fluvii domini (Julii).
Corsica & Sardinia sunt insulae dominae (Æmiliae).

Julius & Cornelius sunt domini fluvii (Rheni).
Fulvia & Claudia sunt dominae insulae (Siciliae).

Or, to mix it up a bit more:

Rhenus & Danuvius sunt fluvii dominae (Æmiliae).
Corsica & Sardinia sunt insulae domini (Julii).

Rhenus & Danuvius sunt fluvii dominae (Æmiliae).
Corsica & Sardinia sunt insulae domini (Julii).
Julius & Cornelius sunt domini insulae (Siciliae).
Fulvia & Claudia sunt dominae fluvii (Rheni).

Finally,
we can even say,
speaking of two
of Britain’s rivers,

Finally,
we can even say,
speaking of two
“The Thames
and the Avon

Finally,
we can even say,
speaking of two
“The Thames
and the Avon
are Rivers

Finally,
we can even say,
speaking of two
“The Thames
and the Avon
are Rivers
of the Island...”

Tamésis
et Avóna
sunt fluvii

Tamésis
et Avóna
sunt fluvii
insulae...

...or, of the two little
islands in the Tiber...

Insula Tiberína
et Insula Sacra

Insula Tiberína
et Insula Sacra
sunt insulæ fluvii!

Here endeth the lesson.
Ite, missa est.

De Casu Nominativo Pluraliter et de Genetivo Singulariter (Latine atque Anglice)

De Casu Nominativo Pluraliter et de Genetivo Singulariter (Latine atque Anglice)

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