Textkit Greek and Latin Forums

In working on Wheelock's chapter 18, I have run into two things that have me stumped.
1. Adjectives - In lesson 16, two adj's are listed thus:
ingens, gen. ingentis, huge
senex, gen. senis, adj. and noun, old, aged
In chapter 18 workbook the phrase "by his own brave old father" is translated into Latin as "a patre forti seni suo" which makes it appear that senex declines. (Exercitationes D. #3) However, in Lectiones #2 the phrase "in mare ingens" is translated as "into the vast sea" which makes it appear as if ingens does not decline.
SO - do these ajd's decline? If so, do they follow the masculine/feminine pattern or the neuter pattern?

2. Practice and Review #11 - For the phrase "pecuniam nimis desiderant" how can I know what "nimis" modifies? How do I know if it's "too much desire" or "too much money?"

scave wrote:In working on Wheelock's chapter 18, I have run into two things that have me stumped.
1. Adjectives - In lesson 16, two adj's are listed thus:
ingens, gen. ingentis, huge
senex, gen. senis, adj. and noun, old, aged
In chapter 18 workbook the phrase "by his own brave old father" is translated into Latin as "a patre forti seni suo" which makes it appear that senex declines. (Exercitationes D. #3) However, in Lectiones #2 the phrase "in mare ingens" is translated as "into the vast sea" which makes it appear as if ingens does not decline.
SO - do these ajd's decline? If so, do they follow the masculine/feminine pattern or the neuter pattern?

All adjectives can follow any of the three genders. Like nouns, adjectives that are in agreement with a neuter noun use the same form for nominative and accusative, which explains why mare ingens "does not decline" (it is in the neuter accusative, identical to the nominative). If it were "of the vast sea", for example, it would be maris ingentis. Almost all adjectives decline.

2. Practice and Review #11 - For the phrase "pecuniam nimis desiderant" how can I know what "nimis" modifies? How do I know if it's "too much desire" or "too much money?"

nimis is working as an adverb here, i.e. "desire money too much". If it were modifying pecunia, pecunia would be in the genitive.