Declension of Nouns

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Victoriae
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Declension of Nouns

Post by Victoriae »

Greetings all fellow Latin learners (and experts!). I have just started an MA degree in Ancient Myth & Society and am currently taking beginners Latin to complement this. However, I am a little stuck on learning the declension of nouns. Does anyone have any learning strategies for over coming this obstacle? In fact, if anyone has any ideas about studying Latin at home without instant access to a tutor I would be most grateful to hear them! I would also like to chat to fellow learners and swap ideas around and discuss problem areas. If anyone is interest please get in touch - but especially if you know how to memorise the 1st, 2nd and 3rd decl. of nouns LOL :lol:

mariek
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Re: Declension of Nouns

Post by mariek »


Hi! Welcome to Textkit! Practice and memorization will help with learning all those declensions. If you are lookingfor a book to learn Latin, you'll find some free downloadable ones on this site, http://www.textkit.com/latin_grammar.php. A lot of people here use D'Ooge's "Latin for Beginners", and there is a separate forum for people using this book in their Latin studies. Don't forget to check out the Latin tutorials available here: http://www.textkit.com/tutorials/

Turpissimus
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Post by Turpissimus »

I would try to look for similarities between the cases. For example, the ablative case is nearly always the same as the dative, and the nominative nearly always the same as the vocative. Neuter nominatives, vocatives, and accusatives will look very similar. Also, try to look for similarities between declensions - the way for example that accusative singulars often end in -m.

The fact that you're memorising the cases with British case order (Nom. Voc. Acc. Gen. Dat. Abl.) should help you pick out the similarities - pity those using American textbooks.

I'd add that you should make yourself welcome here - most of us enjoy showing off our knowledge to other people :)

Amy
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Post by Amy »

It sometimes helps while you are still trying to balance everything to have a chant, song, or other mnemonic device. Just sit down and repeat the cases in an order you're used to adding tune if desired (if this sort of thing works for you.). Then when you are stuck you have a little mantra to reassure yourself & regain memory. (Someone in another thread, Magistra I believe, mentioned that the 3rd conjugation goes well to Jingle bells! Greek is more complicated so I made a song for that, but the problem with songs is if you forget the tune you're stuck so I still prefer to chant) DO NOT DESPAIR if latin seems like a billion rules or a code because soon it will become a language and when it does you can of course stop chanting like a madman during exams.

Episcopus
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Post by Episcopus »

You know how when you learn modern language you learn pronouns, and they change according to case some forms well it's just like that but on the end, they're only little 1/2 letter things on the end of a word, just start using them and it will be well.
Last edited by Episcopus on Mon Nov 07, 2005 1:33 pm, edited 1 time in total.

classicalclarinet
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Post by classicalclarinet »

Wouldn't this Prof. Butterfield be a very busy person?

Victoriae, I would use the declensions in sentences.. make up sentences as you go along.. like 'Sedebat in horto'.. or perhaps something more imaginative.. :P

Parmenides
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Re: Declension of Nouns

Post by Parmenides »

Victoriae wrote:Greetings all fellow Latin learners (and experts!). I have just started an MA degree in Ancient Myth & Society and am currently taking beginners Latin to complement this. However, I am a little stuck on learning the declension of nouns. Does anyone have any learning strategies for over coming this obstacle? In fact, if anyone has any ideas about studying Latin at home without instant access to a tutor I would be most grateful to hear them! I would also like to chat to fellow learners and swap ideas around and discuss problem areas. If anyone is interest please get in touch - but especially if you know how to memorise the 1st, 2nd and 3rd decl. of nouns LOL :lol:
When I started learning Latin I was struggling, but I found something that really helped: reference cards. Just write the declensions down on the cards, I just folded loose-leaf in half, then write the singular versions of a declension on one side and plural on the other side. Go over the cards once a day. The same for vocabulary, except write the Latin words on one half of the paper and the English translation on the other side, folding it in half makes sure you cannot see through the paper. Plus, take a bunch of scrap paper and just write the declensions over and over again while you have them fresh in your head. I went from an F on my first test to a B on the next with those study techniques.

amans
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Re: Declension of Nouns

Post by amans »

I agree with Parmenides :)
Parmenides wrote:When I started learning Latin I was struggling, but I found something that really helped: reference cards. Just write the declensions down on the cards, I just folded loose-leaf in half, then write the singular versions of a declension on one side and plural on the other side.


You could also choose some paradigm words, like terra, dominus, templum, lex, etc. and write the a morphological description on one side of the reference card and the corresponding form of the word on the other. E.g.: "2nd declension neuter dative singular" on one side of the card and "templo" on the other. But that would require you to remember your paradigm words of course.
Parmenides wrote:Go over the cards once a day. The same for vocabulary [...] Plus, take a bunch of scrap paper and just write the declensions over and over again [...]
I've used these techniques with very good results, too (writing has proved especially helpful in learning Greek, as I'm not used to the alphabet). You could sort of make it a habit going through the declensions and the like once a day. Like before getting out of bed, while in the shower, etc. I wouldn't spend hours at it, a daily practice of 10 minutes, for instance, will settle the different word forms in your mind. Eventually, hopefully, they'll become the most natural thing in the world, so you can spend your mental energy on more important tasks such as syntax and... the pleasure of reading in Latin.

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