Adler: question concerning exercise 31

[Carolus Raeticus]

Salvete!

In Exercise 31 of his Practical Grammar Adler gives the following sentences and provides (in his key to the exercises) the accompanying Latin translations:

• Q: Has the son of your friend as many coats as shirts? - Suntne amici tui filio tot togae quot indusia?
• A: He has as many of the one as of the other. - Sunt ei quot alterorum, tot alterarum.
• Q: Have we as many boots as shoes? - Habemusne tam multas caligas quot calceos?
• A: We have as many of the one as of the other. Habemus vero quot alterorum, tot alterarum (illarum).

Why does Adler reverse the order in the answer?

• Question 1: togae - indusia. Answer 1: alterorum (indusiorum) - alterarum (togarum)
• Question 2: caligas - calceos. Answer 2: alterorum (calceorum) - alterarum/illarum (caligarum)

It can be no error in the key, as he does the same on page 103 of his Practical Grammar.

Valete,

Carolus Raeticus

[adrianus]

"The Romans are fond of inverting the logical order of these clauses, and of saying quot—tot...as Cras et quot dies (= tot dies, quot) erimus in Tusculano, Tomorrow and as many days as we shall be in Tusculanum." (Adler, p.103)

[bedwere]

Maybe to illustrate a chiasmus?

[Carolus Raeticus]

Hi,

thanks to both you (interesting idea concerning the chiasmus).

Valete,

Carolus Raeticus

[Qimmik]

Quot editores, tot Propertii.