Monday, April 15, 2024

23.03.24: video; imperatives

Another superb video; if there are any language teachers in the group, then you’ll know that this is very smart stuff: short, focused, carefully thought out and clearly presented.

Some good notes have already been attached to it, but I’ll add a few here.

[1] discō, discere [3]: learn

  • Disccum frāterculō meō. Learn (and he’s talking to you individually) with my little brother.
  • Discite linguam Latīnam mēcum. Learn (and he’s talking to all of us) with me.

Note: mēcum (with me); this was discussed in an earlier post. [i] cum (with) + ablative but [ii] the preposition is attached to the end of the pronoun

All the commands are being given to one person and so they’re all singular. Although I’ve used exclamation marks, which is a convention to indicate command forms, nobody’s shouting in the video 

[2] cōnsīdō, cōnsīdere [3]: to sit down > cōnsīde!: sit down!

[3] surgō, surgere [3]: to get up / stand up > surge! stand up!

[4] loquere: speak! Just remember this one because it is formed from a verb type that we haven’t yet discussed. But it was a very good one to choose for the video.

[5] taceō, tacēre [2]: to be quiet > tacē! be quiet!

[6] scrībō, scrībere [3]: to write > scrībe! write!

[7] legō, legere [3]: to read > lege! read!

[8] dēleō, delēre [2]: the first meaning of this verb, and commonly found in the literature, is “to destroy”, but it can also be used, as here, to mean “delete” i.e. wipe it out.

  • Nunc dēlē et scrībe “valēte” Now wipe it out and write “valēte”.

And even the words he writes on the white board are commands, and he cleverly weaves in two plurals:

[9] salveō, salvēre [2]: be well > salvēte! Be well! (all of you)

[10] valeō, valēre [2]: be well > valēte! Be strong! i.e. good-bye!

Thank you; these videos bring the language to life.




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