Hello,
I was wondering if there is a rule for using nimis instead of nimium and vice versa. I was thinking that one would be used to describe adjectives and one to describe verbs (nimis/nimia stultus est vs nimia/nimis errat); however, i cannot find the example sentences that convinced me of this.
I don’t now of any difference between the adverbs “nimis” and “nimiùm” and don’t see one in L&S and OLD, but I don’t know much.
Discrimen inter “nimis” et “nimiùm” adverbia ignoro nec in OLD nec in L&S reperio, sed multa ignoro.
Salvete!
According to Whitaker’s “Words”-programme both “nimium” and “nimis” are adverbs. I cannot furnish any sample sentences, but two entries in the dictionary “Vocabulary of High School Latin” by Gonzalez Lodge may be helpful:
- nimis. Caes.—(vii. 36, 5). Cic. i. 3; iv. 13 bis; P. T, A. 28. > Adv. > > too, too much> . Cf. nimius.
- nimius, -a, -um [nimis]. Caes.—(vii. 29, 4). Cic. i. 10; III. 7; 10; 22; P. 23. V. IV. 657 (ties). > Adj.> too much, excessive> . Nimium as adv. = nimis.
According to Lodge, at least, nimium and nimis can be used interchangeably as adverbs while nimius, -a, -um (including a different type of nimium) is used as an adjective. I hope that I interpreted this correctly.
I hope this helps,
Carolus Raeticus
thanks, guys