Review of Case Uses Latin II Dec. 9-13, 2013

What Are Cases? A CASE is how a noun is used in a sentence. Latin CASES correspond to English grammatical uses. Latin CASES are identified by their endings. A declension chart shows the CASE endings of a Latin noun.

Genitive Nominative Ablative Accusative Dative

Does English Use Cases? Yes! Just not as much. Certain English pronouns uses cases: I, he/she/it, who. I love him. He is my friend. That’s his book. Who loves you? From whom did you take the book? Whose book is that?

Nominative Case The nominative case is used for subjects and predicate nominatives/ predicate adjectives. Predicate nom’s/adj.’s are words that follow is, was, will be, etc. The girl loves the farmer. The girl is my friend. The girl is tall.

Genitive Case Remember Jen’s house?  The genitive case shows possession. The house OF JEN. It can also be used as a partitive genitive: to show the part OF something. A piece OF PIE. Translate with “OF” and you’ll never go wrong!

Dative Case The dative case is used for indirect objects. Indirect objects tell to whom or for whom something is shown, told, or given. “Give, show, tell” are light bulb verbs. A light bulb should go off: LOOK FOR A DATIVE! I told the girl a story. I gave the beggar money. I showed the child the picture.

Accusative Case Use #1 The accusative case is used for direct objects. Direct objects receive the action of an action verb. He kicked the ball. He likes macaroni.

Accusative Case Use #2 The accusative case is also used for objects of some prepositions. ad, ante, circum, contra, in, inter, per, post, prope, trans I walked through the field. (per agrum) I walked into the house. (in casam) I walked across the street. (trans viam)

Ablative Case Use #1: Objects of Prepositions Ablatives are used as the object of the prepositions ab, cum, de, ex, in, pro, sine, sub. Sine---without In---meaning “in, on” De---down from, about, concerning Sub---under Pro---in front of, before, for Ab---(a, ab) away from, from, by Cum---with Ex---out from, out of, from

Ablative Case Use #2: Accompaniment Ablatives are used as the object of “cum” (“with”) to tell who accompanies someone. I went to Mars with Sid Space.

Ablative Case Use #3: Means Ablatives are used without a Latin preposition to show the means by which (instrument) something is done. “Cum” (“with”) is not written in the Latin, but you’ll use “with” in English. The soldier threatened him with a sword. Miles gladio eum denuntiavit.

Ablative Case Use #4: Manner Ablatives are used with the Latin preposition “cum” (“with”) to tell the manner in which something is done. He fought with glory. Cum gloriā pugnavit. Magnā gloriā pugnavit. He fought with great glory. (2 words, no “cum” used) Or put the “cum” in the middle: Magnā cum gloriā pugnavit.

Ablative Case Use #5: Agent Ablatives are used with the Latin preposition “a/ab” (“by”) to tell by whom something is done…look for a passive voice verb. I was abducted by aliens. The girl will be seen by the farmer. Puella ab agricolā videbitur.

Vocative Case (the forgotten case!) The vocative case is used for direct address. The vocative case is usually the same ending as the nominative case. The only exceptions are nouns ending in –us and –ius: -us nouns change to –e -ius nouns change to -i

Vocative Case (the forgotten case!) Filia, amo te. Daughter, I love you. Fili, amo te. Son, I love you. (filius=son) Esne amicus, Marce? Marcus, are you my friend?