30.03.24: the third declension [4]; ways of learning the stem changes.

The first sight all the various stem changes seems an impossible task. That was my first reaction. However, let’s look at a lot of the ones that have appeared in the posts so far, and you will see something that certainly helped me learn these.

caput, capitis: head; English derivative: capital punishment

corpus, corporis: body; Engl. deriv. corporal punishment

cor, cordis: heart; Engl. deriv. cordial

crūs, crūris: leg; Engl. deriv. (anatomy) crural, pertaining to the leg

custos, custodis: guard; Engl. deriv. custodial sentence

dēns, dentis: tooth; Engl. deriv. dentist

dūx, dūcis: general; Engl. deriv. ducal

frāter, frātris: brother; Engl. deriv. fratricide (also matricide and patricide)

frōns, frontis: forehead; Engl. deriv. front

lac, lactis: milk; if you’re lactose intolerant, what can’t you take?

lēx, lēgis: law; Engl. deriv. legal

mīles, militis: soldier; Engl. deriv. military

mōns, montis: mountain

nōmen, nominis: name; Engl. deriv. nominate; nominative

nox, noctis: night; Engl. deriv. nocturnal animal

opus, operis: work; Engl. deriv. opera

pectus, pectoris: breast; Engl. deriv. pectoral muscles

pēs, pedis: foot; Engl. deriv. pedestrian

ōs, ōris: mouth; Engl. deriv. oral examination

rēx, rēgis: king; Engl. deriv. regal clothing

venter, ventris: belly; Engl. deriv. ventricle

A great number of third declension nouns found their way into English, mainly through French. What you’ll notice is that these derivatives contain the original stem changes. In fact, if there was no stem change, that too is reflected in derivatives:

feles, felis: cat; “feline”

canis, canis: dog; “canine”

auris, auris: ear; “aural” comprehension.

And to put that into practice, here are some other 3rd declension nouns all of which undergo a stem change. Look at the English derivatives – they have the answers – and supply the missing letter or letters.

1. hospes, hosp_ _ is: guest; “hospital”
2. serpēns, serpen _ is: snake; “serpent”
3. fulmen, fulm _ _ is: lightning; “fulminate”, to make a verbal attack
4. lūmen, lūm _ _ is: light; “luminous”
5. volūmen, volūm _ _ is: scroll; “voluminous”
6. lapis, lapi _ is: (precious) stone; “lapidary”, a person who polishes and cuts precious stones
7. artifex, artif _ _ is: craftsman; “artificial”
8. iūdex, iūd _ _ is: judge; “judicial”
9. prīnceps, prīnc _ _ is: chief; “principal”
10. mōtiō, mōtiō _ is: movement; “motion”
11. leō, leō _ is: lion
12. pōtio, pōtiō _ is: a drink; “potion”
13. scorpiō, scorpiō _ is: scorpion
14. carō, car _ is: meat; “carnivorous”
15. flōs, flō _ is: flower; “floral”
16. mūs, mū _ is; “murine”, having the characteristics of a mouse
17. tempus, temp _ _ is: time; “temporal”
18. latus, lat _ _ is: side; “lateral”
19. vulnus, vuln _ _ is: wound; “vulnerable”
20. iter, it _ _ _ _ is: journey; “itinerary”

And so, you’ve seen approximately forty words where the stem changes exist in English derivatives. Of course, you can’t work out all the stem changes by doing it that way. However, the vast majority of the words listed above are common in the literature.