02.07.24: level 2; is, ea, id [2]; uses

Visualise a conversation in a restaurant. You’re looking directly at your friend who’s sitting opposite. You say …

[1] It’s my favourite. [What are you talking about?]  > This wine we’ve ordered. It’s my favourite.

[2] She’s looking at us. [Who are you talking about?] > Do you see that woman over there. She’s looking at us.

[3] I hate him. [Who?] > (through gritted teeth) > That guy at the bar, I hate him.

Most often in English, pronouns such as he, she, it, him, her, they, them etc. which some grammar writers refer to as “weak” refer back to something or someone previously mentioned.

I met John last night. He was very upset.

Did you meet John last night? Yes, I met him at the bar.

I’ve just spoken to the girl on the helpline. She didn’t help.

Did you speak to the girl on the helpline? Yes, I spoke to her but she wasn’t very helpful.

I’ll go to the same hotel again this year. I really like it. It’s by the sea.

My son was learning quadratic equations. He found them very difficult. They’re not easy for him to understand.

I met John last night i.e. we know who we’re talking about, and so we generally shift to: He was very upset i.e. we don’t keep repeating ‘John’ but replace ‘John’ with a pronoun.

[i] This is the main function of is, ea and id: he / she / it

It can also mean:

[ii] ‘this (person/thing)’ or ‘that (person/thing)’, but the use is very ‘weak’: it isn’t pointing to somebody or referring to someone or something for the first time, but merely referring back to what has already been mentioned. They are not used to refer to a noun previously unknown.

“I spoke to the bank manager about the ATM card. You know, this problem’s getting on my nerves.”

“Did you see that book in the store (which I told you about yesterday)?”

And the same in the plural:

eī, eae, ea

[i] they

[ii] these / those (people / things)

From three of Vincent’s videos:

[1] Mēnsē proximō ībō prīmum ad Iowa ad amīcum vīsitandum. │ Next month I’ll first go to Iowa to visit a friend.

Is fīet sacerdōs. │ He will become a priest.

In Latin, when he / she / it is the subject of sentence, it is most often missed out because who is performing the action is already mentioned.

Mārcus Rōmae habitat. Rōmānus est. │ Marcus lives in Rome. He is a Roman.

Vincent could equally have said: sacerdōs fiet i.e. without is, and it would have meant exactly the same because the verb refers to who is doing the action, and he’s already mentioned him.

In his second sentence, he doesn’t use the pronoun at all.

Mox ōrdinābitur. │ He will soon be ordained.

[2] In hōc hortō pūblicō … versantur multī alligātōrēs. │ In this park there are many alligators.

Venīte mēcum ad eōs spectandōs. Sī eōs vidēbō, vōbīs ostendam. │ Come with me to look at them. If I see them, I will show you.

[3] Here’s an example from Catullus 85:

Ōdī et amō. Quārē id faciam fortasse requīris. │ I hate and I love. Why I do it, perhaps you ask.

The ‘id’ refers back to his hating and loving.