HUM / REL 293 - Beginning Latin
Course Notes - Week 9
ille, illa, illud
The Cambridge Course introduces the word "ille" this week. It means "that" or "that one" (pointing to a masculine subject).
We will learn more about "ille" (that) and "hic" (this) in Wheelock next week.
As you have realized, Latin has neither a Definite Article "the", nor an Indefinite Article "a", "an", "some".
For example, we translate "puer" as "boy", "a boy", or "the boy" depending on its context.
As the Romance languages developed from Latin, they began to use forms of "ille" as a Definite Article, and as a Pronoun (he, she, it).
So Spanish has "el", "la", "los", "las", "ella"
French has "le", "la", "les", "il", "elle"
Italian has "il", "la", "ella"
English has "the" (the "-ill" sound changed to "ye" and "th-" - think of pronouncing "ille" in Spanish, and of the phrase "ye olde . . .")
Go here for photos of the Baths at Pompeii.
The photo on page 141 is of the Suburban Baths in Herculaneum. The marble statue represents Apollo, and originally had a small fountain playing into the basin in front of it.
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