HUM 293 / REL 293 - Continuation of Beginning Latin
Course Notes - Week 10
Neuter nouns and adjectives
Neuter nouns and adjectives all have the same form for both the Nominative and the Accusative.
For the Second Declension, this is -um for the singular, and -a for the plural
Several Latin (and Greek) neuter nouns have come into English, and often retain the "-a" ending for the plural. Some of them are used so frequently in the plural form that we tend to forget that that is what they are.
Examples :
- corrigenda
- In English, this is used only in the plural - a list of things to be corrected, usually in a printed document such as a book. From corrigō, -igere, -ēxī, -ēctum - to make straight, put right
- curriculum
- From curriculum - a race or race-course, from currō, -ere, cucurrī, cursum - to run
- data
- one fact or piece of information is a "datum" - something which is "given" From dō, dare, dedī, datum - to give
- errata
- one mistake is an "erratum" From errātum - a mistake, which is from errō, -āre, -āvī, -ātum - to wander away
- media
- from the adjective medius, -a, -um - middle, intermediate, in the middle of. Hence "medium" has several meanings in English. For example, "the media" are means to bring information to people, and "a medium" is a person who claims to be able to make a bridge between people and spirits.
- strata
- one layer of rock is a stratum. From strātum - a blanket, horsecloth, bed, which is from sternō, -ere, -strāvī, strātum - to spread
- phenomena
- this is a neuter plural from phenomenon, which is a Greek neuter noun. The Greek neuter ending is -on, related to the Latin -um
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Copyright © 1999 Shirley J. Rollinson, all Rights Reserved
Department of Religion
ENMU Station 19
Portales, NM 88130
Last Updated: October 8, 2009
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