10.08.24: Level 2; the present active participle [3]; derivatives

Many English words ending in -nt are derived from the Latin present active participle. These often came through Old French which got rid of the -is in the genitive before they ended up in English. What is useful is that the stems of the conjugations are still in a very large number of the derivatives.

 vigilō, -āre [1]: keep watch > vigilāns, vigilAnt¦is > Fr. vigilant > Modern English: vigilAnt

1st conjugation

• irrītō, -āre [1]: excite; provoke > irrītāns, irrītAntis > Modern English: irritAnt i.e.to describe something that is causing irritation or inflammation
• significō, -āre [1]: point out > significāns, significAntis > M.Eng. significAnt
• Mediaeval Latin: importāns, importAntis > M.Eng. importAnt

2^nd conjugation

• adiaceō, -ere [2]: lie beside > adiacēns, adiacEntis > M.Eng. adjacEnt
• dēspondeō, -ēre [2]: give up > dēspondēns, despondEntis > M.Eng.  despondEnt
• resideō, -ēre [2]: stay behind > residēns, residEntis > M.Eng. residEnt i.e. somebody who is living in a certain place

3^rd conjugation

• currō, -ere [3]: run > currēns, currEntis > M.Eng.currEnt
• fluō, -ere [3]: flow > fluēns, fluEntis > M.Eng. fluEnt
• intellego, -ere [3]: understand > intellegēns, intellegEntis > M.Eng. intelligEnt

3^rd-iō conjugation

• efficiō, -ere [3-iō]: work out; accomplish > efficiēns, efficiEntis > M.Eng. efficIEnt
• recipiō, -ere [3-iō]: receive; accept > recipiēns, recipIEntis > M.Eng. recipIEnt

4^th conjugation

• lēniō, -īre [4]: soften > lēniēns, lēnIEntis > M.Eng. lenIEnt
• sentiō, -īre [4]: feel; perceive > sentiēns, sentiEntis > M.Eng. sentIEnt; a sentient being i.e. a person experiencing thought or feeling

The derivatives are not always consistent in the stem e.g. defendAnt from dēfendēns, dēfendEntis, and dormAnt from dormIĒns, dormientis. However, there are more than enough that can help you remember not only the -nt- stem for the declined forms but also the vowel that goes before each of the conjugations.

And what about the nominative? Well, we’re all homō sapiēns, and so it should be easy enough to remember!

• sapiō, -ere [3-iō]: have sense; be wise > sapIĒns, sapientis

The images show derivatives of the present active participles. They are grouped according to the verb conjugation to show the stem vowel.