Schaum's Outline of Latin Grammar - Alan Fishbone [68]
it concerns, interests
reÅfert, reÅferre
it concerns, interests
Such verbs put the person concerned in the genitive.
The source of concern may be a neuter singular pronoun: Hoc reÅgis reÅfert.
This thing concerns the king.
The source of concern may be an in®nitive or accusative and in®nitive: PoeÅtae reÅfert bene canere.
To sing well concerns the poet.
ReÅgis interest poeÅtam morõÅ.
That the poet die concerns the king.
CHAPTER 9 Syntax of the Complex Sentence
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The source of concern may be a subordinate clause introduced by ut taking the subjunctive:
ReÅgis interest ut poeÅta moriaÅtur.
That the poet die concerns the king.
The source of concern may be an indirect question:
ReÅgis noÅn interest utrum opera poeÅtae It does not concern the king whether the sint bona.
works of the poet are good.
If the person concerned would be expressed with a pronoun, i.e., `ìt interests him, her, etc.,' rather than use that pronoun in the genitive, these verbs use the possessive adjective in the feminine ablative singular:10
MeaÅ reÅfert ut poeÅtae serventur.
It concerns me that the poets be saved.
VestraÅ interest utrum reÅx sit deÅmeÅns.
It concerns you whether the king is
insane.
Exercises
22. Translate the following.
1. Quod reÅx bellum parat cõÅveÅs taedet.
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2. PoeÅtae noÅn reÅfert utrum reÅx libroÅs deÅleat.
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3. PoeÅta dõÅxit fore ut omneÅs libroÅs deÅleÅrentur.
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4. AvaÅritiae reÅgis omneÅs piget.
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5. Omnium interest ut lõÅbertaÅs serveÅtur.
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6. Taedet reÅgõÅnam reÅgem videÅre.
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7. TuaÅ maximeÅ interest abõÅre.
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10 This feminine ablative singular is understood to agree with the pre®x reÅ-, the ablative singular of the noun reÅs.
Originally the expression was mea reÅs fertÐ``my interest bears''Ðthe reÅs combining with fert to produce reÅfert, in which the reÅ perhaps appeared to have become ablative and occasioned the change from mea to meaÅ. However, this use of the feminine ablative singular of the possessive also works for the verb interest, with no reÅ anywhere in sight.
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CHAPTER 9 Syntax of the Complex Sentence
8. Necesse erit omnibus cõÅvibus hunc librum legere.
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9. Necesse erit ut hic liber ab omnibus cõÅvibus legaÅtur.
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10. NoÅn liceÅbat noÅbõÅs ut in paÅce võÅvereÅmus.
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23. Translate the following sentences.
1. In tantaÅ laetitiaÅ cunctae cõÅvitaÅtis meÅ uÅnum tristem esse oporteÅbat?
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2. NoÅn tamen pigeÅbit vel inconditaÅ ac rude voÅce memoriam prioÅris servituÅtis ac testimoÅnium praesentium bonoÅrum composuisse.
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3. Neque meÅ mõÅlitum neque voÅs ducis paenituit.
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