Why is it ‘id’? LLPSI, Capitulum duodecimum, p86, l.26

Latin Learning Latin
1

Salvete

Once more I find myself questioning the gender of a pronoun.

“Aemilius avunculus vester est, id est frater matris.”.

Just as I thought I’d got this sussed.
Is it because the gender of frater is masc. but that of matris is fem. and therefore ‘he’ must be neuter? What rule applies?

2

We still use it today, albeit abbreviated i.e. = id est

3

Thanks

4

I should add that id (that) refers to the concept, the thing itself. Maybe that can explain why it is neuter.

5

And if there were a comma after the “est” it would probably be immediately obvious to a native speaker of English.

Nicht wahr?

If I were writing it, I would probably naturally insert the comma.

Paul.