Return to CLAA Classical Grammar I
In this lesson, we continue our study of substantive nouns by examining declension. Up to this point, we have learned that nouns have accidents, or things that happen to them, and we have already studied gender, number, and case. Declension is the next accident we must understand, and it builds directly on what we have already learned. If any of the earlier material feels uncertain, it is important to review it, because this lesson assumes a solid grasp of those ideas.
Declension refers to the way a noun changes its form according to case. We have already learned that nouns take different endings to show how they are used in a sentence. These different forms are not random. Instead, they follow fixed patterns. A declension is one of these patterns. Each noun belongs to one declension, and once that declension is known, all of the noun’s case forms can be produced according to that pattern.
There are not countless ways that nouns change their endings. In Latin, there are only five basic systems of noun endings. These systems are called declensions. Every Latin noun belongs to one and only one of these five declensions, and it will form all of its cases in the same general way as other nouns in that declension. We may think of declensions as families. Each family has its own characteristic endings, and every noun in that family follows the same pattern.
We cannot determine a noun’s declension simply by looking at its nominative form. Different nouns may look the same in the nominative case but belong to different declensions. The same difficulty appears with some of the other cases as well. There is, however, one form that always reveals a noun’s declension, and that is the genitive singular form. The ending of the genitive singular tells us exactly which declension a noun belongs to.
For this reason, Latin dictionaries always give two forms for a noun. The first is the nominative singular form, which names the noun. The second is the genitive singular form, which shows its declension. When we see entries such as puella, puellae; amicus, amici; rex, regis; spiritus, spiritus; and dies, diei, we are being shown both the essential form of the noun and the form that reveals its declension. The endings of the genitive singular forms differ because they belong to different declensions.
There are five declensions in Latin. Nouns whose genitive singular ends in -ae belong to the first declension. Nouns whose genitive singular ends in -i belong to the second declension. Nouns whose genitive singular ends in -is belong to the third declension, including many nouns originally borrowed from Greek. Nouns whose genitive singular ends in -us belong to the fourth declension. Nouns whose genitive singular ends in -ei belong to the fifth declension. Every Latin noun fits into one of these five groups.
We can already see this principle at work in our readings. In one passage we encountered the phrase voluntate viri, translated “of the will of man.” The word viri is the genitive singular form of vir, meaning “man.” Because its genitive singular ends in -i, we know that vir belongs to the second declension.
In another passage we encountered voluntate carnis, translated “of the will of the flesh.” The word carnis is the genitive singular form of caro, meaning “flesh.” Because its genitive singular ends in -is, we know that caro belongs to the third declension. Simply by recognizing the genitive singular ending, we are able to identify the declension of each noun.
This knowledge is essential because each declension has its own set of case endings. Before we can determine whether a noun is nominative, genitive, dative, accusative, vocative, or ablative, we must first know which declension it belongs to. Once the declension is known, the case endings become intelligible, and we can determine how the noun is functioning in the sentence. From this, accurate translation becomes possible.
At this stage, it is normal if the idea of declensions still feels abstract. We are laying foundations that will be built upon carefully in later lessons. Soon, we will study each declension in detail, one at a time, and the patterns will become clear. What now seems confusing will soon become familiar and orderly.
If we recall our earliest readings, we may remember how difficult they first appeared. With steady practice, those readings have already become much easier. The same will be true of declensions. As long as we do our memory work carefully and remain patient, the system of Latin nouns will gradually come into focus.
This lesson contains a great deal of important information and should be studied attentively. As our understanding of declension grows, we will move away from relying on memorized English translations and begin to read Latin by recognizing forms and understanding their meanings directly. This is one of the central goals of grammar study, and this lesson marks an important step toward achieving it.
Memory Work
1. (Review). How many things happen to a Noun Substantive?
Six things happen to a Noun Substantive: Gender, Number, Case, Declension, Figure and Kind.
2. What is a Declension?
A Declension is a variation, or changing of words by cases.
3. By what sign is the Declension of a Noun known?
A Declension of a Noun is known by its Genitive Singular ending.
4. How many Declensions are there?
There are five Declensions:
1. the First Declension, whose Genitive Singular ends in -ae, as: haec Musa, Musae (a muse); or in -es when the Nominative ends in -e, as: haec Epitome, Epitomes (a summary).
2. the Second Declension, whose Genitive Singular ends in -i, as: hic Dominus, Domini (a lord).
3. the Third Declension, whose Genitive Singular ends in -is, as: Sermo, Sermonis (a speech), and often in -os if the Noun was originally a Greek word, as: haec Poesis, Poesos (a poem).
4. the Fourth Declension, whose Genitive Singular ends in -us, as: hic Sensus, Sensus (a sense), hoc Cornu, Cornus (a horn).
5. the Fifth Declension, whose Genitive Singular ends in -ei, as: haec Dies, Diei (a day).
Return to CLAA Classical Grammar I
