Chapter 3 The Roman Alphabet Pronunciation vw ae

Chapter 3

The Roman Alphabet

Pronunciation v=w ae = ī qu = kw ē=ā i= yuh ī =ē c=k villa, via terrae, puellae quo, quem sedē, manetē Iulius, iam lībera, servī Caesar, carrus

Latin is an inflected language that is the endings show part of speech rather than word placement puellae puellam

The girl likes the boy. Puella puerum amat. Puerum puella amat. Amat puella puerum. The boy likes the girl. Puer puellam amat. Puellam puer amat. Amat puer puellam.

Reading and Understanding Latin

Try to grasp the meaning of each Latin word in the order in which it appears in the sentence. Do not jump around. Your goal is to understand Latin as the Romans did.

If you cannot understand the meaning of a Latin word, try to connect its spelling with an English word you know. aqua = aquatic having to do with water aqua = water

Be attentive to not only the meaning of every word in a Latin sentence but also to its form (spelling) and position: puella= girl puellae = girls

The meaning of Latin words depend greatly on its exact spelling. A change in the form of a Latin word (inflection) almost always results in a change in the meaning. In Latin, word position is more important for emphasis than for meaning. Puella in agris ambulat. The girl walks in the fields. Puellae in agris ambulant. The girls walk in the fields.

Latin does not have the articles a, an or the You must supply them Girl likes boy. The girl likes the boy.

What is a noun? persons, places, things, ideas, states or qualities boys, kitchen, pencil, love, independent, beauty

What is meant by number? singular or plural

coins

are easier to count when put in groups

What is a declension of nouns? a grouping that shares the same spelling pattern

manus puella arbor puella dies manus arbor servus dies puella manus servus arbor dies servus

Five Declensions of Nouns 1 st: puella, puellae 2 nd: servus, servi 3 rd: arbor, arboris 4 th: manus, manus 5 th: dies, diei

declension singular plural 1 st -a -ae puellae 2 nd -us -i servus servi -r* -i pueri -t -nt rident verbs *puer, vir and ager are also 2 nd declension nouns

Cornelia est puella Romana. Cornelia is a Roman girl. Cornelia et Flavia sunt puellae Romanae. Cornelia and Flavia are Roman girls. Davus est servus. Davus is a slave. Multi servi in agris laborant. Many slaves work in the fields.

Marcus est puer Romanus. Marcus is a Roman boy. Marcus et Sextus sunt pueri Romani. Marcus and Sextus are Roman boys. Cornelius est vir Romanus. Cornelius is a Roman man. Viri Romani in Italiā habitant. The Roman men live in Italy.

Activity 1: Change from singulars to plurals 1. amicus Romanus 2. villa rustica 3. vir solus 4. pictura Romana 5. servus defessus 6. Puella ridet. 7. Puer est iratus. 8. Puella est irata.

Activity 2: Change from plurals to singulars 1. amicae defessae 2. servi irati 3. puellae Romanae 4. viri defessi 5. villae vicinae 6. Viri clamant. 7. Puellae sunt strenuae. 8. Pueri sunt strenui.

Activity 3: Circle the correct form and translate the sentence. 1. Marcus et Sextus in eādem villā _____. habitat/habitant 2. Davus vir Britannicus _____. est/sunt 3. In agris laborant _____. servus/servi 4. Pueri et puellae saepe _____. gemit/currunt

5. In agris sunt multi _____. 6. In Italiā habitat _____. puella/servus/servi Marcus et Sextus/Marcus/puellae 7. Marcus et Sextus sunt pueri _____. Romanus/Romani/Romanae 8. Cornelia et Flavia sunt puellae _____. Romanus/Romani/Romanae 9. Aurelia est femina _____. Romanus/Romani/Romana 10. Davus non _____. ridet/rident