Lesson 9: Adjectives as Nouns
Adjectives can be used to function as nouns
As in most languages, an adjective standing alone can be used as a noun, inferring a generic noun (any person or individual).
The number, gender and function of the adjective must still change as if it were modifying a noun.
The masculine plural can be used to include all people, both men and women.
Example:
"justus -a -um" = just
"justus" = the just one, the just person, the just individual, the just man
"justa" = the just woman
"justum" = the just thing
N.B.
- "justa justum amat" can mean either "the just woman loves the just man" or "the just woman loves the just thing" or "the just thing loves the just things" (or course this 3rd one doesn't make much sense, but is possible).
- Latin doesn't have a way of expressing both men and women, so the masculine plural is used, and understood to include both. "justi" can mean "just people", not just "just men"
New: Reading 4
Now go to Lesson 10.
"One letter in Latin changes everything." - Fr. Foster
First Experience Latin - Fr. Reginald Foster
Answers to First ExperienceReturn to Index