What is 'Pulchrius'/ 'Foedius

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pmda
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What is 'Pulchrius'/ 'Foedius

Post by pmda »

In Orberg's LLPSI he has a sentence: Magister litteras Titi comparat cum litteris Marci, et "Litterae vestrae" inquit "aeque foedae sunt: tu, Tite, neque pulchrius neque foedius scribis quam Marcus."

Pulchrius and foedius look like neuter comparitive adjectives...but they are not, are they? Are they adverbs? It's just that one would have expected pulchre or foede - like recte and prave. Can anyone clarify what pulchrius and foedius are? Are they adverbs and (therefore) indeclinable?

adrianus
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Re: What is 'Pulchrius'/ 'Foedius

Post by adrianus »

Ità quidem, adverbia neutrius generis sunt quae anglicè "neither more beautifully nor more coarsely than" significant.
Yes indeed, they are neuter adverbs.[/i]
I'm writing in Latin hoping for correction, and not because I'm confident in how I express myself. Latinè scribo ut ab omnibus corrigar, non quod confidenter me exprimam.

pmda
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Re: What is 'Pulchrius'/ 'Foedius

Post by pmda »

Adrianus, this slightly throws my world into confusion. I wasn't aware: 1) that adverbs were declinable and 2) if they are I can't see why one would use neuter in this case. What gender are / would they be in agreement with...? Do you mean they are neuter comparative adjectives...? which would be -ius...??

Alatius
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Re: What is 'Pulchrius'/ 'Foedius

Post by Alatius »

Adverbs are inflected in only three forms: positive, comparative, and superlative. (That is to say, they are _not_ declined in cases, nor gender, number, etc.)

The comparative adverbs are identical in form to the adjective in the neuter singular.

(Compare the olympic motto "Citius, Altius, Fortius".)

pmda
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Re: What is 'Pulchrius'/ 'Foedius

Post by pmda »

...though it seems they are definitely adverbs.

pmda
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Re: What is 'Pulchrius'/ 'Foedius

Post by pmda »

Alatius - my world is in order again.

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