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AP Latin Grammar - Definitions Flashcards

Definitions of all Latin grammar terms listed in the AP Latin Course and Exam Description (plus a few more). Definitions are taken from Bolchazy's Excelability in Advanced Latin and from http://thelatinlibrary.com/101/index.html

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6241627823gerundThe gerund is a *verbal noun*, always *active* in force, which only appears in the genitive, dative, accusative, and ablative singular. It is formed by adding *-nd-* to the present stem of the verb (-iend- for i-stem and 4th conj.) plus the neuter singular endings of the second declension. The gerund expresses purpose when used with "ad" (+ ACC) or "causa" (+ GEN). e.g. "ad legendum" = "for the purpose of reading"0
6241627824gerundiveThe gerundive is a *verbal adjective*, always *passive* in force, which appears in all cases and both numbers. It is formed by adding *-ndus, -a, -um* (-iendus, -a, um for i-stem and 4th conj.) to the stem of a verb, and carries the notion of *necessity, obligation, or propriety*. Like the gerund, the gerundive can be used with "ad" + ACC or GEN + "causa" to express purpose.1
6241627825passive periphrasticThe Future Passive Periphrastic is comprised of the *gerundive* and a form of *"sum,"* with the gerundive agreeing with the subject of the sentence in number, case and gender. The construction is passive and always conveys a notion of *obligation, necessity, or propriety*. The agent of the action (if expressed) is in the *dative* case. ex: "Carthago delenda est" = "Carthage must be destroyed"2
6241627826supineThe supine is a *verbal noun of the fourth declension* and appears only in the accusative and ablative singulars. The supine in *-um* may be used after verbs of motion *to express purpose*, or with the passive infinitive "iri" (from "eo") *to form the rare future passive infinitive*. The supine in -u is used with a few adjectives and nouns *to express an ablative of respect or specification*.3
6241627827indirect statementIndirect statement ("oratio obliqua") is introduced by verbs of thinking, perceiving, knowing, saying, etc. and takes *an accusative subject + an infinitive*. If the subject of indirect statement is identical to the subject of the main verb, the accusative reflexive pronoun is used as the subject. Indirect statements follow ordinary sequence of tenses - a *present* infinitive expresses the *same time* as the main verb, a *perfect* infinitive expresses *time before*, a *future* infinitive expresses *time after*.4
6241627828indirect questionAn indirect question is in a dependent clause *introduced by a "question" word*. The verb in an indirect question is always *subjunctive*, but the main verb of the sentence may be either indicative or subjunctive. Indirect questions follow sequence of tenses.5
6241627829indirect commandAn indirect command is an "ut" (or "ne") clause that expresses a *command, wish, hope,* etc. The verb in an indirect command is always *subjunctive*, though it is often translated like an infinitive.6
6241627830ut clauseAn ut-clause is a subordinate clause introduced by the conjunction *"ut"* with the verb of the subordinate clause in the *subjunctive* mood. The negative of "ut" is "ne".7
6241627831fearing clauseFearing clauses are ut-clauses signaled by a main verb of "fearing". Note that if the speaker fears something *will* happen, *"ne"* is used; if the speaker fears something *will not* happen, *"ut"* is used.8
6241627832result clauseResult clauses are ut-clauses that *express the result of an action* ("ut" is translated "that"). They are often signaled by words that carry some adverbial meaning of "so," such as tam, ita, sic, adeo, tot, tantus -a - um, etc.9
6241627833purpose clausePurpose clauses are ut-clauses that *express the purpose of an action* ("ut" is translated "in order to" or "for the purpose of"). Note that "quo" is used instead of "ut" if the purpose clause contains a comparative adjective or adverb.10
6241627834jussive/hortatory subjunctiveThe subjunctive is often used to *express a command or exhortation*. This construction is called *"jussive"* when occurring in the *third person*, and *"hortatory"* when occurring in the *first person*.11
6241627835potential subjunctiveThe subjunctive can be used as a main verb to *express a possibility*. This is called the potential subjunctive and is translated "would (verb)" or "may (verb)".12
6241627836deliberative subjunctiveThe subjunctive can be used, generally with the first person singular, when a speaker is *deliberating* or *expressing doubt/disbelief*. The deliberative subjunctive often takes the form of a rhetorical question.13
6241627837optative subjunctiveThe optative subjunctive is used in wishes and usually translates with the English words "if only". The *present* subjunctive accompanied by "utinam" or "ut" expresses a future wish *capable of fulfillment*. Contrary-to-fact wishes use the *imperfect* subjunctive for *present* time and the *pluperfect* subjunctive for *past* time.14
6241627838simple conditionalsIf the author is making a *plain statement of fact*, conditionals appear with the *indicative*. These can take three forms: "simple present," "simple past," and "future more vivid".15
6241627839future less vivid conditionalFuture less vivid conditionals express a *possible* condition for the future, either with *two present subjunctives* or *a present and a perfect subjunctive*. The two verbs are often translated "should" and "would," respectively.16
6241627840contrary to fact conditionalsContrary to fact conditionals express something that either could not happen or did not happen. *Present* contrafactual statements use *two imperfect subjunctives* (translated "were to...would"), and *past* contrafactual statements use *two pluperfect subjunctives* (translated "had...would have")17
6241627841conditionals in indirect statementIf a "si" clause is in indirect speech, the verbs are subjunctive but do not carry any contrafactual implications.18
6241627842relative clauseA relative clause is introduced by a *relative pronoun*, which agrees with its antecedent in *gender* and *number*, but varies in *case* depending upon its use in its own clause.19
6241627843relative clause of characteristicA relative clause of characteristic uses the subjunctive to refer to the *sort of person* or *kind of thing* doing something. These clauses frequently follow indefinite or negative words.20
6241627844relative clause of purposeIn a clause of purpose, "ut" can replaced by a relative pronoun when the antecedent of the relative pronoun is expressed.21
6241627845partitive genitiveAlso called "genitive of the whole," the partitive genitive expresses the whole to which a part belongs.22
6241627846genitive with impersonal verbsSome impersonal verbs, such as miseret ("to have pity on") take a complement in the genitive case.23
6241627847genitive with certain adjectivesCertain adjectives appear with the genitive case, most notably: dignus ("worthy"), plenus ("full"), avidus ("desirous"), immemor ("forgetful"), peritus ("experienced").24
6241627848genitive with verbs of remembering/forgettingVerbs of remembering and forgetting, such as memini ("remember"), obliviscor ("forget"), and reminiscor ("recollect") all take direct objects in the genitive case.25
6241627849dative of possessionThe dative can be used with forms of "sum" to indicate possession. It is usually literally translated "there is to me.." or something similar.26
6241627850dative of purposeThe dative of purpose is used to show what role something fulfills or what purpose it serves. It is often translated with "as" e.g. "Caesar auxilio venit" = "Caesar came as an aid"27
6241627851dative of agentThe agent of the action in a passive periphrastic is expressed in the dative case.28
6241627852dative of referenceThe dative of reference shows to whom or for whose sake something is done.29
6241627853dative direct objectCertain verbs take a direct object in the dative case. Dative direct objects are commonly found with *compound verbs* (esp. verbs compounded with ad, ante, circum, cum, inter, ob, post, prae, pro, sub, and super) and with certain *intransitive verbs*, such as persuado, placeo, impero, resisteo, parceo, credeo, noceo, etc.30
6241627854double dativeThe *dative of reference* and the *dative of purpose* often appear together in a construction called the double dative. One dative describes the people for whom the action described by the other dative is done. e.g. "Caesar auxilio militibus venit" = "Caesar came as an aid for the soldiers"31
6241627855accusative of duration of time"Duration of time and extent of space are expressed in Latin by the accusative case!"32
6241627856accusative of respectA Greek construction that expresses *with respect to what* the action of the verb is related.33
6241627857ablative absoluteAblative absolutes usually consist of a (pro)noun + a participle, both in the ablative case and state the circumstances under which the action of the main verb took place. They can be *temporal*, *causal*, or *concessive* in force.34
6241627858ablative of separationThe ablative (with or without a preposition) is used to express from what someone or something will be separated or freed. Signal verbs are libero, separo, defendo, prohibeo, and divido.35
6241627859ablative of comparisonThe ablative without a preposition can be used for the second term of a comparison, instead of quam + noun in same case as first noun.36
6241627860ablative of respect/specificationThe ablative can specify *with respect to what* something is true.37
6241627861ablative of causeThe ablative can show the cause of something, usually with verbs of emotion.38
6241627862ablative of descriptionThe ablative can be used to describe the qualities of someone or something. Note that the ablative of description is interchangeable with the genitive of description.39
6241627863ablative of degree of differenceThis ablative usually occurs with a *comparative adjective* and expresses the extent to which the first noun differs from the second .40
6241627864ablative with special verbsThe ablative functions as the direct object of certain verbs. These verbs usually either show plenty or want, e.g. careo ("lack"), or are deponent, e.g. utor ("use"), vescor ("eat"), potior ("take possession of")41
6241627865ablative of timeThe ablative of time tells the *time when* or *time within which* something occurs.42

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