RE: Latin

From: Marco.Cimarosti@icl.com
Date: Wed Dec 29 1999 - 11:18:36 EST


<VERY OFF TOPIC>

My Latin is even poorer than my English and my Unicode. But I think that all
Latin neuters have the plural in "-a" (provided they have one). This
feature, together with the fact that nominative=accustative, should be what
defines a "neuter" as such.

A nominative with an irregular ending like "-us" is probably in the 3rd
declension (uirus, -is), so it could be:

             sing. plur.
        nom. uirus uira
        voc. uirus uira
        acc. uirus uira
        gen. uiris uirum
        dat. uiri uiribus
        abl. uire uiribus

Of course, this does not answer what the *English* plural should be: you
English speakers should decide...

</VERY OFF TOPIC>

_ Marco

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Michael Everson [SMTP:everson@egt.ie]
> Sent: 1999 December 29, Wednesday 16.40
> To: Unicode List
> Subject: Re: Latin
>
> Ar 07:07 -0800 1999-12-29, scríobh John Cowan:
>
> >"Scenarii" was probably an attempt to construct a Latinate plural,
> >similar to the use of "viri" or (worse) "virii" as plural of "virus".
> >In Latin, "virus" (meaning "poison") was a mass-noun with no usual
> >plural form; the proper English plural is "viruses".
>
> I'm not sure about yr. Latin, John. Vírus is a neuter noun with its
> genitive in -í; it is a bit unusual for neuters to end in -us all right,
> but its plural would normally be vírí, unless víra which would < vírum....
>
> Michael Everson ** Everson Gunn Teoranta ** http://www.egt.ie
> 15 Port Chaeimhghein Íochtarach; Baile Átha Cliath 2; Éire/Ireland
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