“Let’s put two dolls in the cradle”–in the cradle is translated as “in cunis”. Why is cradle singular translated with the plural cunis? Also, since “in” here means “into” why wouldn’t the accusative be used?
You should acquire the habit of checking words in the dictionary:
cūnae, ārum is one of the nomina pluralia tantum.
You could also use the accusative in cunas, but in cunis is correct. There are examples of both usages. I guess it depends on whether one focuses on the action or on the final status.
I remember thinking about which case to use when writing the key. “In cunās” didn’t seem idiomatic with “collocare”.
Both usages (and others) are attested:
col-lŏco (conl-), āvi, ātum, 1, v. a., to place together, to arrange, to station, lay, put, place, set, set up, erect, etc., a thing (or person) somewhere (class. in prose and poetry; cf.: statuo, pono, sisto). I. Lit. A. In gen.; constr. usu. with in and abl. (cf. Ramsh. Gr. p. 467 sq.; Zumpt, Gr. § 489); more rarely with in and acc.; also with other prepositions, or absol.
Lewis, C. T., & Short, C. (1891). Harpers’ Latin Dictionary (p. 367). New York; Oxford: Harper & Brothers; Clarendon Press.
Thanks very much for your answers. After I wrote the question I remembered that Nutting did mention the verb colloco is used with the ablative and not the accusative as might be expected. I did look up the word “cunae” and noticed that the genitive was given as cunarum, but I didn’t know why. But if there is no singular
how would you differentiate between putting two dolls in one cradle or putting two dolls in two cradles?
You would use the adjective bini, ae, a.
From Lewis and Short:
B Taking the place of the cardinal number duo, with substt. which are plur. only, or with those which have a diff. signif. in the plur. from the sing. (cf. Serv. ad Verg. A. 8, 168): binae (litterae), two, Cic. Att. 6, 1, 9: bina castra, id. Phil. 12, 11, 27: binae hostium copiae, id. Imp. Pomp. 4, 9; Val. Max. 1, 6, 2: inter binos ludos, Cic. Verr. 2, 2, 52, § 130; cf.: binis centesimis faeneratus est, id. ib. 2, 3, 70, § 165: bini codicilli, Suet. Oth. 10.—Esp.: bina milia, two thousand, Sisenn. ap. Non. p. 80, 4: bina milia passuum, Quint. 6, 3, 77.—
Does that mean that if “cunis” is used without a qualifying adjective it necessarily means one cradle?
Yes, it does.