by Skylax » Sat Aug 16, 2003 1:51 pm
[quote author=Lumen_et_umbra link=board=3;threadid=483;start=0#4055 date=1060984608]<br /><br /><br />The locative is is identical to the genitive for the singular of first and second declension nouns; elsewhere the locative is usually identical to the ablative.<br /><br /><br />[/quote]<br /><br />I wouldn't say it so. The locative was progressively abandoned by the Latin. The ending in singular was a short -i It remains in Romae Sagunti domi... but elsewhere it was replaced by the ablative. Carthagine meaning "at Carthage" is a true ablative. The locative Carthagini is also sometimes found in Plautus, Cicero and Livy.<br /><br />The locative is a survival from the Roman past, although many names of places are concerned (Names of towns ending in -a, -ae or -us (-um), -i are very frequent).