Lingua Latina, Capitulum VIII…
“Quot nummis constat anulus in quo gemma est?”
AFAICT, this translates (freely) to 'How many coins does a ring with a gem cost?", but I can’t tell whether nummis is dative or ablative plural. That wouldn’t be a problem, as I’m used to getting confused, but none of dictionaries I have mentions it either…
I’d be grateful if somebody could point me in the right direction…
Many thanks
David
Saluē, David!
It’s nice to see you’re coming along. I love that chapter.
To answer your question, I’m pretty sure it’s ablative plural.
Thanks Lucus - that was quick!
I was wondering whether it was the ablative - on the (spurious) grounds that the dative seems somehow more tightly defined - ie if in doubt, use the ablative…
Then I started to try and work it out from English grammar (what part of speech is ‘3 pounds’ in ‘it cost me three pounds’?), and then I gave up because that way madness lies…
Regards
David
I love that chapter
Yes, it’s amazing how closely Lydia’s shopping habits replicate those of my wife…
“Audi, Davide! Aliae feminae multos anulos habent, sed in digitis meis nulli anuli sunt… Avarissime!”
Regards
David (only 
cara mea…)
I’m on the same chapter! 
I recorded it yesterday or the day before. I’m about to begin the pensa after a couple more listenings. You’ll probably get along much faster than I will because I’ve got loads of work.
I’m on the same chapter! Very Happy I recorded it yesterday or the day before. I’m about to begin the pensa after a couple more listenings. You’ll probably get along much faster than I will because I’ve got loads of work.
I’ve ordered the CD but at the moment I’m using the book only. I’ve sort of evolved a method of:
Takes about 3 days per chapter at about 1 hour an night, as unfortunately I have to work to pay for the text books (and the annuli gemmatorum, obviously…)
Regards
David
I’ve evolved a method too:
Read through the chapter, taking care not to look up words immediately because after reading the whole thing they generally become very clear (though I have ooked up a couple along the way);
I record myself reading it, because I feel that I grasp words better when I pronounce and hear them. Sometimes they’re difficult to pronounce right away, I mean getting the quantities right. I exaggerate long vowels, as did Lucus way back when he was still a neophyte .
I listen to myself for the next couple of days whenever I can, and then do the pensa and the Exercitia Latina (the companion book). I also listen to my recording of some of the older chapters.
I write out only the words I have trouble with in some way, esp. vowel quantities. Sometimes I write out sentences too if they’re not immediately clear, but not the whole chapter; I place the part of speech over indeclinable words sometimes to make sure I’ve got the meaning right. Writing out the whole thing would probably be very useful but I don’t have any time and I’m going slow enough as is!
by the bye, it’s ‘anuli gemmati’ (gemmatus is an adjective 
), unless of course there’s something I’m missing.
by the bye, it’s ‘anuli gemmati’ (gemmatus is an adjective Smile)
And I forgot one part of my method… it’s the immediate recognition of how to spell a word the instant after you’ve pressed the submit button…
I’m taking a bit more time than I normally do, because I’m only doing this for a hobby - as a relaxation from work - so I can afford to try to spend time on getting it right. Remains to be seen how long I’ll keep it up but so far it’s been 4 weeks, which isn’t too bad… I think that LL helps this - I’d be really bored with Wheelock by now.
Regards
David
I finished Wheelock on my own, but it’s the text the class uses so I’m still using it (we’re currently on Ch. 35). I can translate a lot more Latin than I can immediately speak (hah), but that’s slowly changing. I think having learned grammarspeak aids me a great deal in picking up any language, but this method - all Latin, no translation - helps me understand deeply what it is I’m learning, and it makes me feel the language itself, rather than just thinking of the translation.
I’m glad you’re using LL. It’s a remarkable book.[/list]
Yes, definitely (though they look the same anyway, especially in the plural, and you’d be hard pressed to find an ancient Roman merchant who could tell you the difference between the ablative and the dative there — then again, you’d be hard pressed to find any ancient Roman merchant, but you know what I mean). The verbs that take the dative tend to be quite specific and fewer, while the ablative ones are also frequently interchangeable with the genitive.
Then I started to try and work it out from English grammar (what part of speech is ‘3 pounds’ in ‘it cost me three pounds’?), and then I gave up because that way madness lies…
Yes, it’s amazing how closely Lydia’s shopping habits replicate those of my wife…“Audi, Davide! Aliae feminae multos anulos habent, sed in digitis meis nulli anuli sunt… Avarissime!”
You’re hilarious, David. I highly approve.