Latin Grammar I, Lesson 08.

[Miriam Gulding]

Hello! I had a couple questions about Latin Grammar and figured I might as well put them on here...

In lesson 08 of Latin Grammar I, (on Irregular Adjectives) rule III says:

"Ocyor, ocyssimus; potior, potissimus; positivis carent, nisi sint ab okys Graeco et potis Latino. Novissimus et summus superlativum tantum habent, auctore Diomede, quibus adde IMUS.

Translation: Ocyor (more swift), ocyssimus (most swift) and potior (more able), potissimus (most able) lack positives, unless they are from okys (swift) in Greek and potis (able) in Latin. Novissimus (most new) and summus (highest) only have the superlative, acording to the author Diomede, to which add IMUS."

The last sentence is what I am confused about: "Novissimus (most new) and summus (highest) only have the superlative, according to the author Diomede, to which add IMUS."

I do not understand what the "to which add IMUS" means. Why would you add it to novissimus or summus, and if you did, what would it mean? I checked the previous lesson (on the formation of comparative and superlative adjectives) for something about IMUS but didn't see anything.


I was also wondering what "a" and "um" mean in rule IV. ("A nominibus substantivis juvenis et senex fiunt tantum comparativa junior et senior. Penitior et penitissimus a positivo penitus, a, um. Plautus writes, “Usque ex penitis faucibus.") The exposition doesn't give an English translation, and when I checked Whitaker's Words nothing came up.

If someone has been or is on this lesson and can help: your assistance would be much appreciated!

[Joy Peletier]

Hello Miriam,

I'm not sure about your first question, but I think "Novissimus (most new) and summus (highest) only have the superlative, according to the author Diomede, to which add IMUS," means that the root words of novissimus and summus only have the superlative forms, and that IMUS would be added to these root words to make novissimus and summus (or simply MUS in the case of summus). Again, I'm not sure, and it's been a while since I've been on this lesson, but that's what I think it means.

As for your second question, I checked the exposition and there's a translation: "From the substantive nouns juvenis (young man) and senex (old men) are made only the comparatives junior (younger) and senior (older). Penitior (deeper) et penitissimus (most deeply) from the positive adjective penitus, a, um (deep). Plautus writes, “Usque ex penitis faucibus.” (“Even from the bottom of my throat.”)." The a, um are endings to other forms of penitus (penitus is the masculine, nominative, singular version. Penita and penitus are the femenine and neuter.).

Hope that helps!

[Miriam Gulding]

Thank you Joy!