The Absolutely Amazing Ablative Absolute LFA Lesson XLIV

The Absolutely Amazing Ablative Absolute LFA Lesson XLIV pp 299 -301

What it looks like • A noun in the ablative case (no Latin preposition) • Plus one of the following: – A participle (4 th principal part) • Pecuniā amissā – An adjective • Populo libero – A second noun • Caesare duce • Often set off by commas or at the beginning of the sentence – Pecuniā amissā, viam mihi monstravit.

Formula Translations • Noun + Noun • “With [Noun 1] being [Noun 2]” – E. g. Caesare duce = with Caesar being the general • Noun + Adjective • “With [Noun] being [Adjective]” – E. g. Populo libero = with the people being free • Noun + Participle • “With [Noun] [Having been Verbed] • E. g. Pecuniā amissā = with the money having been lost

Fluent Translations • Time clauses: When, After, As • Causal clauses: Since, Because • Condition/Adversative clauses: If, With, Although • Example: Pecuniā amissā, viam mihi monstravit.

Examples • Inspect the example sentences on pp. 300 -301. • How else could you translate them besides the book’s suggested translations?

Abl. Abs. vs. the Participle clause • Participle Clause (PPP): The Participle (4 th PP) modifies a noun that belongs in the main clause. • Pecuniam amissam in viā invenit. • Ablative Absolute: The Participle (4 th PP) modifies a noun that does not go in the main clause. • Pecuniā amissā, viam mihi monstravit.

What’s so “Absolute” about the Absolutely Amazing Ablative Absolute? • “Absolute” means that it is FREE from the rest of the sentence, from the Latin verb “absolvo” meaning “to free”. Therefore, the Ablative Absolute has NO connection GRAMMATICALLY to the rest of the sentence. That is, it does not describe a word in the rest of the sentence the way a regular PPP does. • PPP example: After the money was found, we gave it to Mother. (Pecuniam inventam Matri dedimus. ) • Abl. Abs example: After the money was found, Mother was happy. (Pecuniā inventā, Mater beata erat. ) • The Key: If the adverbial (after/since/when/because) clause can be rephrased as a RELATIVE CLAUSE, it can also be translated as a PPP. If not, it is an ABLATIVE ABSOLUTE. – We gave the money, which had been found, to Mother. (Pecuniam, quae inventa erat, Matri dedimus. )

Absolutely Amazing Practice • • • Would you use a PPP or an Abl. Abs? “This boy, sent to visit his aunt, lost his way. ” Does sent relate to a noun in the main clause? Yes – the boy was sent. Use a PPP. “Puer, missus…”

Absolutely Amazing Practice • Would you use a PPP or an Abl. Abs? • “After the boy was freed, everyone was happy. ” • Does was freed relate to a noun in the main clause? • No – it refers to the boy, which is NOT in the main clause! Use an Abl. Abs. • “Puero liberato, omnes beati erant. ”

Absolutely Amazing Practice • Would you use a PPP or an Abl. Abs? • “Having read the books, we returned them to the library. ” • Does read relate to a noun in the main clause? • Yes – it relates to them which is a pronoun standing in for the books. Use a PPP. • “Libros lectos ad bibliothecam reddidimus. ”

Absolutely Amazing Practice • Would you use a PPP or an Abl. Abs? • “After putting the prisoner in jail, the policewoman went home. ” • Does putting relate to a noun in the main clause? (Who/what has been put? ) • No – it relates to the prisoner which is NOT in the main clause. Use an Abl. Abs. • “Captivo in carcere posito…. ”

Absolutely Amazing Practice • Would you use a PPP or an Abl. Abs? • “After the money was given, the boy was returned to his parents. ” • Does was given relate to a noun in the main clause? • No – it relates to the money which is NOT in the main clause. Use an Abl. Abs. • “Pecunia data, puer redditus est parentibus…. ”

Absolutely Amazing Practice • Would you use a PPP or an Abl. Abs? • “The boys having been compelled to stop fighting, the principal went back to her office. ” • Does having been compelled relate to a noun in the main clause? • No – it relates to the boys which is NOT in the main clause. Use an Abl. Abs. • “Pueris desistere pugnando coactis…. ”

Absolutely Amazing Practice • Change this dependent clause to an ablative absolute phrase. • Because the boy was seen: “Quod puer vīsus est…” • Use the noun and the PPP in ablative case! • Puerō vīsō…

Absolutely Amazing Practice • Change this dependent clause to an ablative absolute phrase. • Because I saw the boy: “Quod puerum vidi…” • Use the noun and the PPP in ablative case…plus, since the PPP is PASSIVE, change the subject “I” to an ablative agent “by me”! • Puerō ā mē vīsō…

Absolutely Amazing Practice • Change this dependent clause to an ablative absolute phrase. • Because the boys found the money: “Quod pueri pecuniam invenerunt…” • Use the noun and the PPP in ablative case…plus, since the PPP is PASSIVE, change the subject “the boys” to an ablative agent “by the boys”! • Pecūniā ā puerīs inventā…

Now… Try some on your own!