Error in Latin: an Intensive Course Answer Key?

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tadams052012
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Error in Latin: an Intensive Course Answer Key?

Post by tadams052012 »

Hello there,

Since I last posted on here I have discovered an answer key to this book, presumably provided by someone at the University of Toronto - http://individual.utoronto.ca/ajhicks/U ... rcises.pdf

Needless to say, I have been finding this incredibly useful. Unfortunately however, I have discovered an instance where my key would appear to be at odds with the rules for declining nouns which the book itself provides. In other words I think I have discovered an error. But, having found in the past more than once, that, when a beginner such as myself thinks he has discovered an error, all too often it is him who has in fact erred, I thought that I would run it past the kind folks on this forum first, just in case I am assuming something to be the case which is in fact not, and thus harming my long-term efforts to master the language.

So here it is - Unit Six Exercises I. 24. Rōmae diū fuerant rēgēs, numquam Athēnīs.

Now I translate this as - In Rome there had been kings for a long time, never in Athens.

I suppose this would be a literal translation which sounds a little strange due to Latin's liberal use of ellipsis? But that we might better put it into English as - In Rome there had been kings for a long time, there had never been kings in Athens.

It would seem to me that the person who wrote the answer key misread the initial latin verb as erant (imperfect) instead of fuerant (pluperfect), because the correct translation given by the key is - There were kings at Rome [locative] for a long time, (but there were) never (kings) at Athens [locative].

Have I overlooked or forgotten something that I shouldn't have in drawing this conclusion?

Many thanks,

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bedwere
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Re: Error in Latin: an Intensive Course Answer Key?

Post by bedwere »

fuerant is pluperfect indicative and should generally be translated as "they had been". You may want to contact the person who provides the key and tell him.

tadams052012
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Re: Error in Latin: an Intensive Course Answer Key?

Post by tadams052012 »

OK thanks!

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