On the Nominative Pluraland Genitive Singular

De Casu Nominatívo Pluráliteret de Genetívo Singuláriter

Stefano Piccaretta

Here we’re going to 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.”

...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 wordssuch as river makes them plural.

Notice also how the verbchanges along with the noun:

Notice also how the verbchanges along with the noun:

It is a river.

Notice also how the verbchanges along with the noun:

It is a river.

They are riverz.

Same thing with

“He is a master”

Same thing with

“He is a master”and

Same thing with

“He is a master”and

“They are masterz.”

Same thing with

“He is a master”and

“They are masterz.”

Same

singular → plural

rule.

But now consider the sentence

But now consider the sentence

“It’s this masterz river.”

But now consider the sentence

“It’s this masterz river.”

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

But now consider the sentence

“It’s this masterz river.”

Now that same /z/ ending no longer makes masterfrom 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 tooand with any word that behaves

like river / master / lord, etc.

So, in “the masterz riverz”

So, in “the masterz riverz”(id est, “the master’s rivers”)

So, in “the masterz riverz”(id est, “the master’s rivers”)

the /z/ on masterz

So, in “the masterz riverz”(id est, “the master’s rivers”)

the /z/ on masterzand the /z/ on riverz

So, in “the masterz riverz”(id est, “the master’s rivers”)

the /z/ on masterzand the /z/ on riverz

are not the same thing.

So, in “the masterz riverz”(id est, “the master’s rivers”)

the /z/ on masterzand the /z/ on riverz

are not the same thing.

They’re “programming”the two nouns differently.

And if we say,

And if we say,

“The Rhine and the Danubeare [this] masterz riverz”,

And if we say,

“The Rhine and the Danubeare [this] masterz riverz”,

it’s clear that the first /z/ makes masterinto a singular owner (they belong to him),

And if we say,

“The Rhine and the Danubeare [this] masterz riverz”,

it’s clear that the first /z/ makes masterinto a singular owner (they belong to him),

while the second /z/ turns riverfrom a singular subject to a plural subject.

And if we say,

“The Rhine and the Danubeare [this] masterz riverz”,

it’s clear that the first /z/ makes masterinto a singular owner (they belong to him),

while the second /z/ turns riverfrom a singular subject to a plural subject.

Same sound, different meaning/force/effect.

The very same patternalso holds for Latin!

The very same patternalso holds for Latin!

...At least, with nouns like

The very same patternalso holds for Latin!

...At least, with nouns like

fluvius / numerus /dominus / Julius

The very same patternalso holds for Latin!

...At least, with nouns like

fluvius / numerus /dominus / Julius

and with ones like

The very same patternalso holds for Latin!

...At least, with nouns like

fluvius / numerus /dominus / Julius

and with ones like

insula / littera /domina / Æmilia.*

The very same patternalso holds for Latin!

...At least, with nouns like

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

fluvi-us or domin-us,

it can only be a singular subject.

If we take

fluvi-us or domin-us,

it can only be a singular subject.

But if we have

fluvi-i or domin-i,

If we take

fluvi-us or domin-us,

it can only be a singular subject.

But if we have

fluvi-i or domin-i,

it might be a plural subject:

riverz / masterz

If we take

fluvi-us or domin-us,

it can only be a singular subject.

But if we have

fluvi-i or domin-i,

it might be a plural subject:

riverz / masterz(id est, rivers / masters).

If we take

fluvi-us or domin-us,

it can only be a singular subject.

But if we have

fluvi-i or domin-i,

it might be a plural subject:

riverz / masterz(id est, rivers / masters).

Or it might be a singular owner:

riverz / masterz

If we take

fluvi-us or domin-us,

it can only be a singular subject.

But if we have

fluvi-i or domin-i,

it might be a plural subject:

riverz / masterz(id est, rivers / masters).

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.

(In either language,you’ll be able to tell

from the context.

This takes somegetting used to,but will soon be

quite natural to youin Latin,

(In either language,you’ll be able to tell

from the context.

This takes somegetting used to,but will soon be

quite natural to youin Latin,

as it already isin English.)

So, to express in Latinthe idea

So, to express in Latinthe idea

“The Rhine and the Danubeare the masterz riverz”

So, to express in Latinthe idea

“The Rhine and the Danubeare the masterz riverz”

we can say...

Rhenus

[singular subject]

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,

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.]

Cornelius [sg. subj.]

et Julius [sg. subj.]

Cornelius [sg. subj.]

et Julius [sg. subj.]

sunt domini [pl. subj.]

Cornelius [sg. subj.]

et Julius [sg. subj.]

sunt domini [pl. subj.]

fluvii [sg. owner].

Cornelius [sg. subj.]

et Julius [sg. subj.]

sunt domini [pl. subj.]

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

Nota Bene:

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

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

the river’s(with a genitive ending)

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

the river’s(with a genitive ending)

or

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

the river’s(with a genitive ending)

or

of the river(with a preposition).

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

the river’s(with a genitive ending)

or

of the river(with a preposition).

But

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

the river’s(with a genitive ending)

or

of the river(with a preposition).

But(while languages like French, Spanish and

Italian always use a preposition)

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

the river’s(with a genitive ending)

or

of the river(with a preposition).

But(while languages like French, Spanish and

Italian always use a preposition)

Latin never uses a preposition here,

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

the river’s(with a genitive ending)

or

of the river(with a preposition).

But(while languages like French, Spanish and

Italian always use a preposition)

Latin never uses a preposition here,but always the genitive ending:

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

the river’s(with a genitive ending)

or

of the river(with a preposition).

But(while languages like French, Spanish and

Italian always use a preposition)

Latin never uses a preposition here,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 & Sardinia are the laydeez islandz.”

Corsica [sg. subj.]

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

Corsica [sg. subj.]

et Sardinia [sg. subj.]

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

Corsica [sg. subj.]

et Sardinia [sg. subj.]

sunt insulae [pl. subj.]

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

Corsica [sg. subj.]

et Sardinia [sg. subj.]

sunt insulae [pl. subj.]

dominae. [sg. owner]

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

Fulvia [sg. subj.]

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

Fulvia [sg. subj.]

et Claudia [sg. subj.]

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

Fulvia [sg. subj.]

et Claudia [sg. subj.]

sunt dominae [pl. subj.]

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

Fulvia [sg. subj.]

et Claudia [sg. subj.]

sunt dominae [pl. subj.]

insulae. [sg. owner]

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

Notice in the following

Notice in the followingwhich nouns are

Notice in the followingwhich nouns are

subjects

Notice in the followingwhich nouns are

subjectsand which have something else

Notice in the followingwhich nouns are

subjectsand which have something else

belongingto them.

Notice in the followingwhich nouns are

subjectsand which have something else

belongingto them.

(The words in parentheses are given justfor the sake of examples: exemplorum gratiā.)

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

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

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

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 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 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).

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

Finally,we can even say,

Finally,we can even say,speaking of two

of Britain’s rivers,

Finally,we can even say,speaking of two

of Britain’s rivers,

“The Thamesand the Avon

Finally,we can even say,speaking of two

of Britain’s rivers,

“The Thamesand the Avon

are Rivers

Finally,we can even say,speaking of two

of Britain’s rivers,

“The Thamesand the Avon

are Riversof the Island...”

Tamésiset Avóna

Tamésiset Avónasunt fluvii

Tamésiset Avónasunt fluviiinsulae...

...or, of the two littleislands in the Tiber...

“

”

Insula Tiberína

Insula Tiberínaet Insula Sacra

Insula Tiberínaet Insula Sacra

sunt insulæ fluvii!

Here endeth the lesson.

Here endeth the lesson.Ite, missa est.

(Finis.)