I just bought this book (Lingua latina per se illustrata) and wonder if it is at all discussed here. I plan on studying it in parallel with D’ooge.
I notice pretty much straight away that it says “ubi est vocabulum” but according to my dictionary, vocabulum is noun.
Woops! Wrong section. Sorry. Can somebody tell me where it should go?
Hi Paul,
I think most posts referring to the LLPSI are found on the “Learning Latin” board. Given its popularity, it should probably be given its own board.
Cheers. I don’t suppose you know if a mere user can move a thread to another section? Or does an admin have to do it?
I think you need an administrator to move threads.
I did suggest in another thread that we needed a new board for LLPSI. But so far this has not been acted on.
Joel, the administrator will have to move it, but as to your question I believe you’re referring to “ubi quoque vocabulum latinum est” on page 10. Notice how “ubi” is in italics? The sentence describes “ubi”, rather than defines it. Read the paragraph a couple more times; you’ll see what the general idea is.
I have tried. But I can’t see how “ubi” is a noun. It’s an adverb, isn’t it?
Hi Paul,
ubi is an adverb, but in a much more general sense it’s also a word. Try looking at it this way: how would you say ’ “ubi” is a word’ in Latin?
EDIT: added more to first sentence for clarification
You should try reading LLPSI without translating. I can’t emphasise this enough. There is no point in following this course if you spend your time looking words up in a dictionary. You may need to read the text several times before it makes sense. But persevere. There is also a companion to familia romana by Jeanne Marie Neumann https://www.hackettpublishing.com/lingua-latina-a-companion-to-familia-romana-second-edition. But you dont need that on the early stages.
To expand a little on Aetos’ helpful post:
Read the whole paragraph
“Fluvius et oppidum” vocābula Latīna sunt. “Ubi” quoque vocābulum Latlnum est. In vocābulō “ubi” sunt trēs litterae. In capitulō prīmō mīlle vocābula sunt."
The first sentence is about “Fluvius et oppidum” the second and the third is about “ubi”. The only word you really need to understand is vocābulum and if you just read the sentences in Latin without trying to analyse anything, all will become clear. if not ask. Your mistake is in translating ubi.. there is no need to do that and it shows the pitfalls of assessing your understanding by translation. The questions you should be asking yourself are about the different endings of vocābulum.
I have my reservations about trying to combine this book with O’Doog which relies on rote learning of Grammar and translation into English. Its the completely opposite approach to LLPSI.
Actually, I didn’t translate anything. I just know that ubi is an adverb and I would have expected to see it described as verbum maybe (generic word?). I mean a noun is a noun in any language. Perhaps I’m wrong and vocabulum isn’t just substantivum. Perhaps if I’m to study this book I should forget everything I already know/think I know?
Anyway, not a problem. It just confused me a little and I thought I’d mention it. I shall now just let it all flow over me without a squeak 
As postscript I think that’s you can often work out the meaning of something that you dont at first understand by reading on and living with the fact that you haven’t quite understood something. The first time round unless you are already fluent in Latin there will be things that dont make sense to you. Just have faith that everything is presented in such a way that you dont need to look things up.
If you had carried on to the end of the passage when you get to “Nōn” est vocābulum Latīnum. “Nōn”, “sed”, “magnus”, “numerus” vocābula Latīna sunt. “Vocābulum” quoque vocābulum Latīnum est! The penny might have dropped.
Actually, I didn’t translate anything. I just know that ubi is an adverb and I would have expected to see it described as verbum maybe (generic word?).
What you are doing is analysing, which is how you have learned Latin so far. Sure you need to know quite a bit of grammar but that should arise from reading the course not by imposing what you think you know.
The clue to the meaning of Vocābulum is that the passage starts with its constituent parts litterae. adverbia are not formally defined until chapter 18.
Remember making mistakes and not understanding everything first or second or third time through is normal. I read the whole of familia romana a few months ago. There were sentences I stumbled on but I found that by reading to the end of a section the difficulties were solved. Sometimes I had to read a sentence several times to understand it. So the advice I am giving you isn’t theoretical.
Perhaps I’m wrong and vocabulum isn’t just substantivum
It isn’t. And the Romans used Nōmen which included nouns and adjectives (although nōmen adiectīvum dates from antiquity). nōmen substantīvum is a medieval construction.
…and Spanish and German
Yes, I analyse. It’s what I do. I used to be a programmer. I’m also supposed to be learning classical guitar, but am spending more time on music theory than actually playing tunes.
I can see that if I’m to benefit from this book I have to follow the rules of it’s methodology.
Actually, doing the little tests, I’m having more difficulty remembering just who is whose slave/sister/mother etc. This is why I don’t read novels. I forget who is who.
Anyway, onward…
PS: I do hope this thread gets moved to the correct place. I feel a bit silly carrying on this conversation under the heading of Greek textbooks.
Perhaps the author chose “vocabulum” because it would suggest the derivative “vocabulary” to English speakers using the textbook.
Yes. If I had been starting from nothing, it’s what I would have (logically) gone with.
And not just English of course
Actually, doing the little tests, I’m having more difficulty remembering just who is whose slave/sister/mother etc. This is why I don’t read novels. I forget who is who.
If you are already on the exercises of chapter 2 you are going too fast if you have only been studying this book for a few days.
I also recommend that you get Exercitia Latina I https://www.hackettpublishing.com/lingua-latina-pars-i-exercitia-latina-i-3965 and "Colloquia Personarum https://www.hackettpublishing.com/lingua-latina-colloquia-personarum-second-edition-with-full-color-illustrations-4355.
These are extra exercises for each chapter and some extra reading.
By reading and continually re-reading you will soon remember who everyone is. Watching the YouTube videos helps too.
Analysis is important but here what you are getting is experience of reading and understanding rather than simply a theoretical grammar. In music its like only practicing scales or reading theory books and never getting to as you put it “playing tunes”. Throw the theory books aside and enjoy yourself. 
Actually, it was a few hours, not days
I also recommend that you get Exercitia Latina I > https://www.hackettpublishing.com/lingua-latina-pars-i-exercitia-latina-i-3965
Ordered.
These are extra exercises for each chapter and some extra reading.
By reading and continually re-reading you will soon remember who everyone is. Watching the YouTube videos helps too.
Am now re-reading from the start. I can see how this would be good for an absolute beginner, but not sure how well somebody with zero knowledge of inflection would cope.
And not just English of course >
Of course. There are the German Vokabularium, Spanish vocabulario, French vocabulaire, exempli gratia.
Am now re-reading from the start. I can see how this would be good for an absolute beginner, but not sure how well somebody with zero knowledge of inflection would cope.
Those who have zero knowledge can get the Companion if they are teaching themselves otherwise the class teacher would help. But everything is explained in the section “GRAMMATICA LATINA” which comes at the end of the reading passages.
A lot of time will be saved later on if you acquire the habit of reading the passages out loud and pay attention to the pronunciation of long and short syllables. To that end it’s very helpful that the macrons are marked.
I have heard people say that it is too easy at the beginning and that they hit a a wall later on when they find it too difficult. I think this results, in part at least, from trying to go too quickly and superficially in the early stages. It is easier at the beginning especially if you know a little Latin so you should concentrate on being able to read with comprehension and following as accurately as you can which ever pronunciation system you have chosen.
Heh. I tried that when I was learning Guaraní. My wife hated it so much that I had to give it up.
BTW, as the postal service seem to have lost my exercise book, do you think I should hold back on advancing with the “novel” so as not to have to go back when I start doing the exercises?
BTW, as the postal service seem to have lost my exercise book, do you think I should hold back on advancing with the “novel” so as not to have to go back when I start doing the exercises?
Have you done the exercises (Pensa) in the main book? When the exercise book arrives you could do start on them as revision or wait. Its up to you.
My wife hated it so much that I had to give it up.
You have to come to some arrangement on this. Its very important to read aloud and compare your pronunciation with say the videos on line. It’s an important part of fixing vocabulary and developing a sense of reading a text with understanding and not just a list of words which you arrange to derive meaning.