14.06.25: Level 3; Sonnenschein; Prō Patriā [3]; Cunobelīnus [2]; review: i-stem nouns (1)

Many posts were written about third declension nouns; specific reference to i-stem nouns was made here:

https://adckl.blogspot.com/2024/04/030324-review-of-3rd-declensions-nouns.html

A complete set of information is available here:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/latinforstarters/posts/418207734123834/

At that point, it was simply stated that there are 3^rd declension nouns known as i-stem where the endings differ slightly from what is the usual pattern because, at that stage, it was enough simply to become familiar with this massive declension of nouns and the changes they undergo. Furthermore, as the quotation below illustrates, it was not necessary to go into such detail:

The i-declension was confused even to the Romans themselves, nor was it stable at all periods of the language (Allen & Greenough)

Even now, this post will only look again in a little more depth as to the changes in i-stem nouns and patterns as to when those changes – which are only slight and do not prevent understanding – take place.

We can divide the third declension into two groups:

image #1: consonant stems (masculine and feminine); the sole focus is the genitive plural that ends in -um

image #2: i-stems [1]

ignis, -s [3/m]: fire; also a 3^rd declension noun but note [i] the genitive plural in -ium and [ii] an alternative accusative plural ending i.e. either -ēs (the same as the consonant stems) or -īs; the -īs ending is important to note because [a] it occurs a lot in the literature, and [b] it is the dative and ablative plural of 1st and 2nd declension nouns (where you will most often see it), whereas here, in these 3^rd declension nouns, it is an accusative plural.

Alright, it is a question of playing “spot the difference”, but there is a (sort of) pattern to this.

Image #3

[1] Nouns which make these changes are known as non-increasing; this means that the noun has the same number of syllables in the nominative and genitive singular; in grammar this can also be described as parisyllabic.

Compare:

[i] an increasing noun; it has an additional syllable in the genitive singular

Nominative singular: prīn-ceps (chief)

Genitive singular: prīn-ci-pis

[ii] a non-increasing noun; it has the same number of syllables in both the nominative and genitive singular

Nominative singular: fē-lēs (cat)

Genitive singular: fē-lis

Non-increasing nouns end in -s (mainly -is) e.g. cīvis, -is (citizen), fēlēs, -is (cat), hostis, -is (enemy), nāvis, -is (ship)

But remember: just because a noun ends in -s does not mean that it is i-stem; it is the non-increasing nouns that are i-stem.

Compare:

[i] increasing

Nominative singular: mī-les (soldier)

Genitive singular: mī-li-tis

Genitive plural: mīlitum

[ii] non-increasing

Nominative singular: cī-vis (citizen)

Genitive singular: cī-vis

Genitive plural: cīvium

Note: As in any language there are words which do not conform to the “rules” i.e. there are non-increasing nouns which do not take the endings -ium and the alternative accusative plural -īs, for example:

canis, canis (dog); gen. pl: canum; acc. pl: canēs

iuvenis, iuvenis (youth); gen. pl: iuvenum; acc. pl: iuvenēs

māter, mātris (mother); gen. pl: mātrum; acc. pl: mātrēs

pater, patris (father); gen. pl: patrum; acc. pl: patrēs

senex, senis (old man); gen. pl: senum; acc. pl: senēs

This is not something over which you should lose sleep!

Image #4

[2] These changes also apply to monosyllabic nouns (i.e. nouns with one syllable) in the nominative singular which, in the genitive singular, have two consonants as the stem. Note that they all have a consonant + /s/ in the nominative singular. That, I accept, sounds long-winded but take a look at the pattern to see what is happening:

Nominative singular: urbs (city); one syllable

Genitive singular: urb¦is; 2 consonants in the stem

Nominative singular: dēns  (tooth); one syllable

Genitive singular: dent¦is; 2 consonants in the stem

Nominative singular: pars (part); one syllable

Genitive singular: part¦is; 2 consonants in the stem

Words that end in -x can also appear in this category. However, compare:

[i]

Nominative singular: nox /k+s/ (night)

Genitive singular: noctis; 2 consonants in the stem

Genitive plural: noctium

[ii]

Nominative singular: rēx (king)

Genitive singular: rēgis; not with 2 consonants

Genitive plural: rēgum