Kalendae and Nonae, pl. tantum

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Lavrentivs
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Kalendae and Nonae, pl. tantum

Post by Lavrentivs »

Quare sunt Kalendae et Nonae plurale tantum?

Sceptra Tenens
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Re: Kalendae and Nonae, pl. tantum

Post by Sceptra Tenens »

The easy answer is "because they are", same with idus, iduum. I don't know the actual etymological reason, but my best guess would be that the words refer to all of the events of the days rather than the days themselves. The more perplexing question to me is why they are feminine - there must be some noun that nonae and probably even kalendae once agreed with, and I can't imagine it being res...
mihi iussa capessere fas est

Lavrentivs
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Re: Kalendae and Nonae, pl. tantum

Post by Lavrentivs »

But are they adjectives?

Horae?

Sceptra Tenens
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Re: Kalendae and Nonae, pl. tantum

Post by Sceptra Tenens »

I would think that kalendae is a gerundive, and nonae is an adjective, but idus (being fourth declesion) goes against the grain.
mihi iussa capessere fas est

Lavrentivs
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Re: Kalendae and Nonae, pl. tantum

Post by Lavrentivs »

< divido

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