Si alius...

[galen697]

Something I've been wondering about lately when composing is this.

If Si aliquis is properly written as "si quis" (and the same is true for aliquid), what happens when writing "si alius"? Is that governed by the same rules regarding si, nisi, ni and ne?

[Titus_Larcius]

no.

Remember that the 'ali-' in 'aliquis' is, in fact, an elided form of 'alius'.

[adrianus]

Salve galen697 atque tite_larci
Which of the two, "si quis" or "si aliquis", to write depends on the context. Ainsworth says "si aliquis" is more emphatic. Isn't "si alius" perfectly fine, and unproblematic? What's the alternative? I would say, "Unless another wants that bun, I'll have it."
Utrum amborum, "si quis" an "si aliquis", rectè scribatur ex contextu pendet. Constructionem "si aliquis" plus emphasin quàm "si quis" habere dicit Ainsworth (§310). Nonné "si alius" constructio perbona est, et indubia? Dicam "Nisi alius illud cuppedium vult, id habebo." Quid aliter dicas?

[adrianus]

Also, I think the logic of "unless someone wants it, I'll have it" is flawed, because I myself am someone.
Nisi fallor, perperàm (logicè) dicatur ità, "Nisi aliquis id vult, id habebo", quià ego ipse aliquis sum.

[benissimus]

Something I've been wondering about lately when composing is this.

If Si aliquis is properly written as "si quis" (and the same is true for aliquid), what happens when writing "si alius"? Is that governed by the same rules regarding si, nisi, ni and ne?

If I remember correctly, the stand-alone quis is the original indefinite, and the ali- is a later addition. The si/num/ne environments bring back a fossilized un-prefixed version of the indefinite. If that is true, then the old ni/nisi/num/ne mnemonic is an oversimplification, and ali's do not drop away (they just aren't added in the first place). Obviously, alius would not be affected this sort of phenomenon.

[ptolemyauletes]

Titus Larcius? Isn't he a raving Communist?

[benissimus]

Titus Larcius? Isn't he a raving Communist?

He must have been a very progressive Etruscan!

[ptolemyauletes]

Sorry, he's a friend of mine who just joined, and I couldn't resist.