their sons and daughters

[mariek]

<br />I have a question about translating "their sons and daughters" in this passage (BLD Ex107 PtII Pg46) :<br /><br /> The Germans, with (their) sons and daughters, are hastening with horses and wagons.<br /> Germani cum suis filiis et suis filiis equis et carris properant.<br /><br />Well, that's how I translated it into Latin. It seems redundant to have "suis filiis" twice. It just happened that way because: their sons => suis filiis (ABL Plur of suus filius); their daughters => suis filiis (ABL Plur of sua filia).<br /><br />Is it possible to rephrase the Latin sentence, making it shorter:<br /><br /> Germani cum suis filiis equis carris properant.<br /><br />Or does this lose some meaning?<br /><br />

[ingrid70]

I would use:<br /><br />Germani cum filiis filiabusque equis et curris properant.<br /><br />filiabus is an alternative form for the dat & abl plu of the first declension, mainly used with filia and dea (yes, to avoid the confusion of 'filiis et filiis'). <br />With the alternative forms for the dat & abl plu of deus (diis and dis) you often see (according to my grammar that is): dis deabusque.<br /><br />you can leave suis out of the sentence, as it is quite clear that the Germans hurry around with their own children, not someone else's. You only use a possessive pronoun if it is necessary to clear up whose whatevers you're talking about.<br /><br />Ingrid<br />

[mariek]

[quote author=ingrid70 link=board=3;threadid=316;start=0#2139 date=1059425392]<br />Germani cum filiis filiabusque equis et curris properant.<br /><br />filiabus is an alternative form for the dat & abl plu of the first declension, mainly used with filia and dea (yes, to avoid the confusion of 'filiis et filiis').[/quote]<br /><br />Now that you mention it, I vaguely recall reading something about dea and filia. I can't believe I forgot about that! <br /><br />