Comparative form

Latin Learning Latin
1

Salve. :slight_smile:

I’m still having a little trouble with the comparative form. I somewhat get it, but I was just looking for some reassurance. Superior gladium stilus est. Would that be the proper way to write the phrase “the pen is mightier than the sword”?


–Брэндон

2

Close, but remember that you use the ablative case of the object being compared. I.e., “Superior gladio stilus est.”

3

Salve Брэндон,

There are actually two competing syntaxes for the comparative degree. One uses the conjunction quam, the other the ablative case form.

The Quam Form
Stilus est superior quam gladius.
Nota bene: The things compared occupy the same grammatical case.

The Ablative Form
Stilus est superior gladio.
The ablative case here is actually the ablative of separation. So from the sword, the pen is mightier. Often the ablative construct is used when expressing a negative. To use an example from Dooge’s text:
Nihil est clarius sole. or From the sun, nothing is brighter.

4

Gratias. To the both of you.

I will have remember to use the ablative case; I forget easily :confused:



–Брэндон