Ch #3 question

Are you learning Latin with Wheelock's Latin 6th Edition? Here's where you can meet other learners using this textbook. Use this board to ask questions and post your work for feedback.
Post Reply
dlb
Textkit Member
Posts: 153
Joined: Tue May 27, 2008 1:43 am
Location: Lilburn, Ga.

Ch #3 question

Post by dlb »

In the exercises for Ch. 3, #9 we have,
"O vir magne, populum Romanum serva." of which the meaning is clear. My question deals w/ the word, "serva, which I [assume] to be a verb."
Cassells says, "serva -ae, -f. see servus"
Under servus I find, "servus, adj ..."
I am expecting to find a verb. Can someone tell me what I am missing?

Thanks,
dlb
.
Deus me ducet, non ratio.
Observito Quam Educatio Melius Est.

Kasper
Textkit Zealot
Posts: 799
Joined: Wed Nov 05, 2003 3:01 am
Location: Melbourne

Post by Kasper »

You are right, it is a verb. What you must look up is the first person active singular of the verb. Can you figure out what this would be?

dlb
Textkit Member
Posts: 153
Joined: Tue May 27, 2008 1:43 am
Location: Lilburn, Ga.

Post by dlb »

Kasper wrote:You are right, it is a verb. What you must look up is the first person active singular of the verb. Can you figure out what this would be?
Well, I hate to be pedantic but I would expect the ending of a singular verb to vary depending upon whether it is of the first or second conjugation; hence, o,as,at, or o,es,et.
dlb
.
Deus me ducet, non ratio.
Observito Quam Educatio Melius Est.

spiphany
Textkit Enthusiast
Posts: 425
Joined: Tue Dec 27, 2005 3:15 am
Location: Munich
Contact:

Post by spiphany »

dlb wrote:Well, I hate to be pedantic but I would expect the ending of a singular verb to vary depending upon whether it is of the first or second conjugation; hence, o,as,at, or o,es,et.
dlb
You are correct. But the first person singular (-o, -eo, or -io) is the form under which it occurs in the dictionary.

In this case, you have a clue about the conjugation. Consider: under what circumstances would a verb have endings other than the personal endings o s t mus tis nt? The ending you have is -a. Which conjugation is that vowel characteristic of?

Have you learned the imperative yet?

dlb
Textkit Member
Posts: 153
Joined: Tue May 27, 2008 1:43 am
Location: Lilburn, Ga.

Post by dlb »

"Have you learned the imperative yet?
The imperative was introduced in Ch 1, the second person singular form. Thus far that has been my only exposure to it & Wheelocks only mention of it.
I will follow your trail, see what I can find and see if I can resolve this issue.
Thanks,
dlb
.
Deus me ducet, non ratio.
Observito Quam Educatio Melius Est.

User avatar
Scribo
Global Moderator
Posts: 917
Joined: Fri Feb 22, 2008 2:28 pm
Location: Between Ilias and Odysseia (ok sometimes Athens).

Re: Ch #3 question

Post by Scribo »

dlb wrote:In the exercises for Ch. 3, #9 we have,
"O vir magne, populum Romanum serva." of which the meaning is clear. My question deals w/ the word, "serva, which I [assume] to be a verb."
Cassells says, "serva -ae, -f. see servus"
Under servus I find, "servus, adj ..."
I am expecting to find a verb. Can someone tell me what I am missing?

Thanks,
dlb
.

Damn it, I haven't picked up my latin book in three weeks, a cursorary glance read:

O great man!, serve the Roman people. OR the Roman people serve.

User avatar
calvinist
Textkit Enthusiast
Posts: 474
Joined: Fri Apr 29, 2005 7:24 pm
Location: San Diego, CA

Post by calvinist »

serva is 2nd person, singular, imperative from servo, servare... yes it is a verb it's just that it's an imperative and you're used to seeing verbs in the indicative mood. :wink:

Arkan
Textkit Neophyte
Posts: 8
Joined: Sun Jul 27, 2008 12:57 am
Location: Tenerife, Spain

Post by Arkan »

Damn it, I haven't picked up my latin book in three weeks, a cursorary glance read:

O great man!, serve the Roman people. OR the Roman people serve.
I'm a begginer, working in this same ch. 3 at the moment, but as far as I know "servo, servare" means to protect, preserve or save, not to serve. Please correct me if im wrong.

Benedarius
Textkit Neophyte
Posts: 38
Joined: Sat Jun 04, 2005 12:06 am
Location: Ireland

Re:

Post by Benedarius »

Arkan wrote:I'm a begginer, working in this same ch. 3 at the moment, but as far as I know "servo, servare" means to protect, preserve or save, not to serve. Please correct me if im wrong.
No, spot on. Could also be "to watch over" or something along those lines too.

Post Reply