1. Agenda diēs Martis, a.d. iii Id. Sept. A.D. MMXVIII
HW Check: binder set up, list 1 derivatives
Book Distribution
Review List 1 Derivatives
Latin Nouns: Characteristics and Terminology (cont’d.)
1st Declension Nouns
Pensum:
Worksheet 1
Study Vocab. List 1
Latin 1
Mr. Finnigan
Boston Latin School

2. Three Characteristics of Latin Nouns
every Latin noun has three characteristics, shown through the declension endings:
CASE: indicates the use or grammatical function of the noun
answers the question ‘what’s it doing?’
NUMBER: indicates singular (1) or plural (>1)
answers the question ‘how many?’
GENDER: masculine, feminine, neuter
Section 01 (Orange, 104) finished this

3. Characteristic 1: Case
case indicates use (grammatical function) of a noun in a sentence
English shows case by word order; Latin by word ending – these are called case endings
There are 7 cases* in Latin:
Nominative
Genitive
Dative
Accusative
Ablative
Vocative
Locative
*Note: the vocative and locative are not very common; NGDAcAb are the five major cases
Section 02 (Yellow, 135) & Section 03 (Green, 101) finished this

4. Translating the Cases
Since different cases represent different uses of a noun, we translate them using different words:
Case
Translate…

5. Translating the Cases
Since different cases represent different uses of a noun, we translate them using different words:
Case
Translate…
Nominative
__________

6. Translating the Cases
Since different cases represent different uses of a noun, we translate them using different words:
Case
Translate…
Nominative
__________
Genitive
of __________

7. Translating the Cases
Since different cases represent different uses of a noun, we translate them using different words:
Case
Translate…
Nominative
__________
Genitive
of __________
Dative
to/for __________

8. Translating the Cases
Since different cases represent different uses of a noun, we translate them using different words:
Case
Translate…
Nominative
__________
Genitive
of __________
Dative
to/for __________
Accusative

9. Translating the Cases
Since different cases represent different uses of a noun, we translate them using different words:
Case
Translate…
Nominative
__________
Genitive
of __________
Dative
to/for __________
Accusative
Ablative*
BWIOAF __________
*The Ablative Case is the ‘catch-all preposition case’: sometimes there will be a preposition in the Latin you can translate. If not, choose the best one for the context from by, with, in, on, at, from.

10. Translating the Cases
when translating nouns, always make sure your translation reflects the case and number of the noun
this information is in the ending
Definite & Indefinite Articles
Latin does NOT have words for the definite article (the) or the indefinite article (a/an)
you must supply either “a/an” or “the” when translating
How do you know whether to use “a/an” or “the”?
whichever one makes more sense in context

11. Characteristic 2: Number
number answers the question ‘how many?’
English shows number by changing the ending too in most cases (e.g. boy vs. boys, woman vs. women)
there are two numbers:
singular (SG): indicates 1 noun
plural (PL): indicates >1 noun
the change in number is reflected in the case ending

12. Characteristic 3: Gender
there are three genders: masculine, feminine, neuter
in English, gender of a noun is determined by sex
words naming males are masculine
words naming females are feminine
words naming things are neuter
gender of Latin, can sometimes be determined like in English, but there are a lot of exceptions:
many words expressing things or abstract qualities are M/F, not N
you need to memorize the gender of noun from its dictionary entry

13. Dictionary Entry of Latin Nouns
there are FOUR parts of every noun’s dictionary entry:
puella, puellae, f.: girl
Nominative Singular
Genitive Singular
Gender
Meaning/Definition
Section 01 (Orange, 104) here

14. Dictionary Entry of Latin Nouns
puella, puellae, f.: girl
Nominative Singular
Genitive Singular:
ending tells you a noun’s declension
dropping the ending gives you the noun’s stem
Gender
Definition

15. First Declension Nouns

16. First Declension Nouns
Genitive SG ending AE indicates the noun belongs to the 1st declension
1st decl. nouns are (usually) easily recognized by the characteristic vowel A
1st declension nouns are overwhelmingly feminine in gender
BUT there are some masculine 1st decl. nouns too; we call these 2PAINS nouns:
Poēta/Pirāta, Agricola, Incola, Nauta, Scrība
poet/pirate, farmer, inhabitant, sailor, scribe
Finished with Section 02 (Yellow, 135)