{"id":591,"date":"2016-07-22T14:53:37","date_gmt":"2016-07-22T18:53:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/greeklatinroots\/?post_type=chapter&p=591"},"modified":"2017-06-15T19:00:04","modified_gmt":"2017-06-15T23:00:04","slug":"18-latin-nouns-third-declension","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/greeklatinroots\/chapter\/18-latin-nouns-third-declension\/","title":{"raw":"\u00a718. Latin Nouns of the Third Declension","rendered":"\u00a718. Latin Nouns of the Third Declension"},"content":{"raw":"

By far the largest and most important category of Latin nouns is the 3rd declension, a group of words comprising all three genders and showing a great diversity of form. Your first reaction may be one of dismay, since this declension has no consistent word-ending, like the -a<\/strong>, -us<\/strong>, and -um<\/strong> of the 1st and 2nd, and appears to have little predictability of any kind. You\u2019ll soon learn that the situation is really not that chaotic, since the 3rd declension does operate on regular and consistent principles.<\/p>\r\n

One subtype of the 3rd declension, a group of nouns ending in -ex<\/strong> or -ix<\/strong>, has given rise to several English words that are pure Latin in form:<\/p>\r\n\r\n

\r\n

index<\/span>vortex<\/span>vertex<\/span>cortex<\/span>apex<\/span>appendix<\/span>matrix<\/span>calix<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n

When we pluralize these rather technical words, we get English forms like vertices<\/i>, appendices<\/i>, matrices<\/i>, and the like. These, too, are pure Latin, and illustrate the -es<\/b> plural that is regular for all masculine and feminine nouns of the 3rd declension. (The hybrid plurals indexes<\/i> and vortexes<\/i> are correct English, but they differ in usage from indices<\/i> and vortices<\/i>.) Since Latin plural endings are always added to the BASE<\/b> of a word, we can deduce that the base forms of index<\/b> and vortex<\/b> are indic<\/b>- and vortic<\/b>-. In dealing with the 3rd declension, we\u2019ll find that the base can be quite different from the nominative (vocabulary) form of the word. This is a major contrast with the 1st and 2nd declension, where we merely lop off the final ending to get the base.<\/p>\r\n

Before pursuing this line of enquiry, let us first examine another 3rd declension subtype that may occur unchanged in English\u2014nouns ending in -or<\/b>. Here is a sampling, presented as Latin words:<\/p>\r\n\r\n

\r\n
    \r\n \t
  1. arbor, clamor, clangor, color, favor, fervor, honor, labor, odor, rumor, savor, vapor, vigor<\/strong><\/li>\r\n \t
  2. error, horror, languor, liquor, pallor, squalor, stupor, terror, torpor, tremor<\/strong><\/li>\r\n \t
  3. actor, factor, doctor, creator, spectator, victor, pastor<\/strong><\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<\/div>\r\nThe abstract nouns in group 1 are traditionally spelled -our<\/i> in English, reflecting their French transmission; but ever since the reforms of the great lexicographer Noah Webster (1758-1843), they have been spelled -or<\/i> in American usage.[footnote] The Canadian spelling of these words, like many aspects of Canadian life, is a little indecisive. Canadian newspapers have been using the -or<\/em> forms since the nineteenth century, but Canadian schools\u2014at least, those schools that still teach spelling\u2014cling to the British -our<\/em> preference. One system is no more \u201ccorrect\u201d than the other. There are some -our\/-or<\/em> words, like harbour<\/em> and neighbour<\/em>, that are actually of Germanic origin. Others, like endeavour<\/em>, are derived from Latin, but not from Latin -or nouns.[\/footnote] For historical reasons, the parallel words in group 2 keep their original Latin form even in British spelling. Group 3, a list that could be greatly extended, consists of AGENT NOUNS\u2014that is, they identify the person performing a verbal action. We\u2019ll see more of groups 2 and 3 when we deal later with the Latin verb. As a general subtype, the Latin -or<\/b> noun is a particularly easy form, since the NOMINATIVE AND THE WORD BASE ARE IDENTICAL.\r\n

    There is another subtype of the third declension where the base of the word can be regularly inferred from the nominative form. For a noun like finis<\/b> (\u201cend\u201d), we merely remove the -is<\/b> ending to get the base fin<\/b>-. Similar to finis<\/b> are civis<\/b> (\u201ccitizen\u201d), hostis<\/b> (\u201cenemy\u201d), testis<\/b> (\u201cwitness\u201d), vestis<\/b> (\u201cgarment\u201d), and navis<\/b> (\u201cship\u201d).<\/p>\r\n

    By and large, however, when we are learning a 3rd declension noun\u2014even only for purposes of English word derivations\u2014we must learn TWO FORMS<\/b> of that noun. It is not enough to know that the Latin word for \u201cking\u201d is rex<\/b>; we must know also that the base of this word is reg<\/b>-, if we are to recognize regal<\/i> as an adjective that means \u201ckingly.\u201d The base reg<\/b>-, in fact, is considerably more important to us than the nominative form rex<\/b>. In our tabular word lists, 3rd declension nouns will be presented in this fashion:<\/p>\r\n\r\n

    rex, regis<\/b><\/span><\/span>king<\/div>\r\n

    <\/span>The first of these forms, rex<\/b>, is the NOMINATIVE<\/b> or subject case, which is the standard vocabulary entry. The second form, regis<\/b>, is the GENITIVE<\/b> case (very much like the English possessive form, \u201cking\u2019s\u201d). The reason we\u2019ll be using the genitive is because it is the most dependable way of finding the BASE <\/b>of every Latin noun or adjective. REMOVE THE -<\/b>is<\/b> ENDING OF THE GENITIVE FORM, AND YOU WILL HAVE THE BASE OF ANY 3RD DECLENSION NOUN.<\/p>\r\n

    In the vocabulary list that follows, do not be surprised that there are many different nominative endings; that is the way the 3rd declension works. As you study the genitive forms, try always to associate the Latin base with a memorable English derivative. Occasionally, as with pars<\/b>, partis<\/b> (base = part<\/b>-) or origo<\/b>, originis<\/b> (base = origin<\/b>-), the base may even provide the obvious English derivative.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

    \r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
    <\/a>Table 3.1 LATIN THIRD DECLENSION NOUNS (M. & F.)<\/strong><\/caption>\r\n
    labor, laboris<\/b><\/td>\r\nwork<\/td>\r\npes, pedis<\/b><\/td>\r\nfoot<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
    finis, finis<\/b><\/td>\r\nend<\/td>\r\nurbs, urbis<\/b><\/td>\r\ncity<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
    rex, regis<\/b><\/td>\r\nking<\/td>\r\nvox, vocis<\/b><\/td>\r\nvoice<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
    lex, legis<\/b><\/td>\r\nlaw<\/td>\r\ncrux, crucis<\/b><\/td>\r\ncross<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
    ars, artis<\/b><\/td>\r\nskill<\/td>\r\nhospes, hospitis<\/b><\/td>\r\nhost, guest<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
    pars, partis<\/b><\/td>\r\npart<\/td>\r\nmiles, militis<\/b><\/td>\r\nsoldier<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
    mors, mortis<\/b><\/td>\r\ndeath<\/td>\r\norigo, originis<\/b><\/td>\r\nsource, origin<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/tbody>\r\n<\/table>\r\n<\/div>\r\n

    As we saw above, it really isn\u2019t necessary to list two forms for labor<\/b> or finis<\/b>, since these bases are predictable; but the second (genitive) form is needed for all the other words. Spelled like its original Latin source-word, English crux<\/i> (plural cruces<\/i>) means a \u201cproblem\u201d or \u201ccritical point.\u201d Most of the other nominative forms, however, are of little use to us. To repeat, it is the BASE<\/b> forms like leg<\/b>-, ped<\/b>-, and hospit<\/b>- that will play a key role in word derivation, both in Latin and in English. As we progress through the course, we\u2019ll come to understand the links in form between Latin mort<\/b>- and English mortify<\/i> or immortality<\/i>, between Latin urb<\/b>- and English suburban<\/i> or conurbation<\/i>.<\/p>\r\n

    Once you feel familiar with Table 3.1<\/a>, turn to the next group of 3rd declension nouns. Their gender, in every instance, is NEUTER, as opposed to the MASCULINE and FEMININE 3rd declension words that we\u2019ve seen so far. There are two reasons for pointing out this fact. First, neuter nouns of the 3rd declension fall, for the most part, into easily recognized subtypes. Second, it may be useful to know that 3rd declension neuter nouns\u2014like all Latin neuter words\u2014have a plural ending in -a <\/b>; just think of our English phrase per<\/i> capita<\/i>, which means \u201cby heads\u201d).<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
    <\/a>Table 3.2\u00a0 LATIN THIRD DECLENSON NOUNS (NEUTER)<\/strong><\/caption>\r\n
    caput, capitis<\/b><\/td>\r\nhead<\/td>\r\ncorpus, corporis<\/b><\/td>\r\nbody<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
    cor, cordis<\/b><\/td>\r\nheart<\/td>\r\ntempus, temporis<\/b><\/td>\r\ntime<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
    lumen, luminis<\/b><\/td>\r\nlight<\/td>\r\ngenus, generis<\/b><\/td>\r\nrace, kind, sort<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
    omen, ominis<\/b><\/td>\r\nomen<\/td>\r\nopus, operis<\/b><\/td>\r\nwork, task<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
    nomen, nominis<\/b><\/td>\r\nname<\/td>\r\nonus, oneris<\/b><\/td>\r\nload, burden<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/tbody>\r\n<\/table>\r\n

    The shock here, no doubt, will be the discovery that there is more than one class of Latin nouns ending in -us<\/b>. This 3rd declension subtype has nothing to do with words like animus<\/b> or campus<\/b>, and mustn\u2019t be confused with that 2nd declension group.<\/p>\r\n

    The secret of learning these noun bases and remembering their spelling is to think of their adjective derivatives in English: capital, cordial, luminous, ominous, nominal, corporal, temporal, general<\/i>, and onerous<\/i>. That trick doesn\u2019t work for opus<\/b>, but there we can think of the English verb operate<\/i>. The nominative form opus<\/i> is an English word, of course, used mainly to identify a work of music; in Latin, it tends to suggest the tangible product of work, rather than the process (labor<\/b>). Corpus<\/b>, omen<\/b>, and genus<\/b> are other 3rd declension neuter nouns that have entered English without change; of these, only genus<\/i> regularly keeps its original Latin plural\u2014genera<\/i>.<\/p>\r\n ","rendered":"

    By far the largest and most important category of Latin nouns is the 3rd declension, a group of words comprising all three genders and showing a great diversity of form. Your first reaction may be one of dismay, since this declension has no consistent word-ending, like the -a<\/strong>, -us<\/strong>, and -um<\/strong> of the 1st and 2nd, and appears to have little predictability of any kind. You\u2019ll soon learn that the situation is really not that chaotic, since the 3rd declension does operate on regular and consistent principles.<\/p>\n

    One subtype of the 3rd declension, a group of nouns ending in -ex<\/strong> or -ix<\/strong>, has given rise to several English words that are pure Latin in form:<\/p>\n

    \n

    index<\/span>vortex<\/span>vertex<\/span>cortex<\/span>apex<\/span>appendix<\/span>matrix<\/span>calix<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

    When we pluralize these rather technical words, we get English forms like vertices<\/i>, appendices<\/i>, matrices<\/i>, and the like. These, too, are pure Latin, and illustrate the –es<\/b> plural that is regular for all masculine and feminine nouns of the 3rd declension. (The hybrid plurals indexes<\/i> and vortexes<\/i> are correct English, but they differ in usage from indices<\/i> and vortices<\/i>.) Since Latin plural endings are always added to the BASE<\/b> of a word, we can deduce that the base forms of index<\/b> and vortex<\/b> are indic<\/b>– and vortic<\/b>-. In dealing with the 3rd declension, we\u2019ll find that the base can be quite different from the nominative (vocabulary) form of the word. This is a major contrast with the 1st and 2nd declension, where we merely lop off the final ending to get the base.<\/p>\n

    Before pursuing this line of enquiry, let us first examine another 3rd declension subtype that may occur unchanged in English\u2014nouns ending in –or<\/b>. Here is a sampling, presented as Latin words:<\/p>\n

    \n
      \n
    1. arbor, clamor, clangor, color, favor, fervor, honor, labor, odor, rumor, savor, vapor, vigor<\/strong><\/li>\n
    2. error, horror, languor, liquor, pallor, squalor, stupor, terror, torpor, tremor<\/strong><\/li>\n
    3. actor, factor, doctor, creator, spectator, victor, pastor<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/div>\n

      The abstract nouns in group 1 are traditionally spelled –our<\/i> in English, reflecting their French transmission; but ever since the reforms of the great lexicographer Noah Webster (1758-1843), they have been spelled –or<\/i> in American usage.[1]<\/sup><\/a> For historical reasons, the parallel words in group 2 keep their original Latin form even in British spelling. Group 3, a list that could be greatly extended, consists of AGENT NOUNS\u2014that is, they identify the person performing a verbal action. We\u2019ll see more of groups 2 and 3 when we deal later with the Latin verb. As a general subtype, the Latin –or<\/b> noun is a particularly easy form, since the NOMINATIVE AND THE WORD BASE ARE IDENTICAL.<\/p>\n

      There is another subtype of the third declension where the base of the word can be regularly inferred from the nominative form. For a noun like finis<\/b> (\u201cend\u201d), we merely remove the -is<\/b> ending to get the base fin<\/b>-. Similar to finis<\/b> are civis<\/b> (\u201ccitizen\u201d), hostis<\/b> (\u201cenemy\u201d), testis<\/b> (\u201cwitness\u201d), vestis<\/b> (\u201cgarment\u201d), and navis<\/b> (\u201cship\u201d).<\/p>\n

      By and large, however, when we are learning a 3rd declension noun\u2014even only for purposes of English word derivations\u2014we must learn TWO FORMS<\/b> of that noun. It is not enough to know that the Latin word for \u201cking\u201d is rex<\/b>; we must know also that the base of this word is reg<\/b>-, if we are to recognize regal<\/i> as an adjective that means \u201ckingly.\u201d The base reg<\/b>-, in fact, is considerably more important to us than the nominative form rex<\/b>. In our tabular word lists, 3rd declension nouns will be presented in this fashion:<\/p>\n

      rex, regis<\/b><\/span><\/span>king<\/div>\n

      <\/span>The first of these forms, rex<\/b>, is the NOMINATIVE<\/b> or subject case, which is the standard vocabulary entry. The second form, regis<\/b>, is the GENITIVE<\/b> case (very much like the English possessive form, \u201cking\u2019s\u201d). The reason we\u2019ll be using the genitive is because it is the most dependable way of finding the BASE <\/b>of every Latin noun or adjective. REMOVE THE –<\/b>is<\/b> ENDING OF THE GENITIVE FORM, AND YOU WILL HAVE THE BASE OF ANY 3RD DECLENSION NOUN.<\/p>\n

      In the vocabulary list that follows, do not be surprised that there are many different nominative endings; that is the way the 3rd declension works. As you study the genitive forms, try always to associate the Latin base with a memorable English derivative. Occasionally, as with pars<\/b>, partis<\/b> (base = part<\/b>-) or origo<\/b>, originis<\/b> (base = origin<\/b>-), the base may even provide the obvious English derivative.<\/p>\n

      \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
      <\/a>Table 3.1 LATIN THIRD DECLENSION NOUNS (M. & F.)<\/strong><\/caption>\n
      labor, laboris<\/b><\/td>\nwork<\/td>\npes, pedis<\/b><\/td>\nfoot<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      finis, finis<\/b><\/td>\nend<\/td>\nurbs, urbis<\/b><\/td>\ncity<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      rex, regis<\/b><\/td>\nking<\/td>\nvox, vocis<\/b><\/td>\nvoice<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      lex, legis<\/b><\/td>\nlaw<\/td>\ncrux, crucis<\/b><\/td>\ncross<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      ars, artis<\/b><\/td>\nskill<\/td>\nhospes, hospitis<\/b><\/td>\nhost, guest<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      pars, partis<\/b><\/td>\npart<\/td>\nmiles, militis<\/b><\/td>\nsoldier<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      mors, mortis<\/b><\/td>\ndeath<\/td>\norigo, originis<\/b><\/td>\nsource, origin<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n

      As we saw above, it really isn\u2019t necessary to list two forms for labor<\/b> or finis<\/b>, since these bases are predictable; but the second (genitive) form is needed for all the other words. Spelled like its original Latin source-word, English crux<\/i> (plural cruces<\/i>) means a \u201cproblem\u201d or \u201ccritical point.\u201d Most of the other nominative forms, however, are of little use to us. To repeat, it is the BASE<\/b> forms like leg<\/b>-, ped<\/b>-, and hospit<\/b>– that will play a key role in word derivation, both in Latin and in English. As we progress through the course, we\u2019ll come to understand the links in form between Latin mort<\/b>– and English mortify<\/i> or immortality<\/i>, between Latin urb<\/b>– and English suburban<\/i> or conurbation<\/i>.<\/p>\n

      Once you feel familiar with Table 3.1<\/a>, turn to the next group of 3rd declension nouns. Their gender, in every instance, is NEUTER, as opposed to the MASCULINE and FEMININE 3rd declension words that we\u2019ve seen so far. There are two reasons for pointing out this fact. First, neuter nouns of the 3rd declension fall, for the most part, into easily recognized subtypes. Second, it may be useful to know that 3rd declension neuter nouns\u2014like all Latin neuter words\u2014have a plural ending in –a <\/b>; just think of our English phrase per<\/i> capita<\/i>, which means \u201cby heads\u201d).<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
      <\/a>Table 3.2\u00a0 LATIN THIRD DECLENSON NOUNS (NEUTER)<\/strong><\/caption>\n
      caput, capitis<\/b><\/td>\nhead<\/td>\ncorpus, corporis<\/b><\/td>\nbody<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      cor, cordis<\/b><\/td>\nheart<\/td>\ntempus, temporis<\/b><\/td>\ntime<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      lumen, luminis<\/b><\/td>\nlight<\/td>\ngenus, generis<\/b><\/td>\nrace, kind, sort<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      omen, ominis<\/b><\/td>\nomen<\/td>\nopus, operis<\/b><\/td>\nwork, task<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      nomen, nominis<\/b><\/td>\nname<\/td>\nonus, oneris<\/b><\/td>\nload, burden<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

      The shock here, no doubt, will be the discovery that there is more than one class of Latin nouns ending in –us<\/b>. This 3rd declension subtype has nothing to do with words like animus<\/b> or campus<\/b>, and mustn\u2019t be confused with that 2nd declension group.<\/p>\n

      The secret of learning these noun bases and remembering their spelling is to think of their adjective derivatives in English: capital, cordial, luminous, ominous, nominal, corporal, temporal, general<\/i>, and onerous<\/i>. That trick doesn\u2019t work for opus<\/b>, but there we can think of the English verb operate<\/i>. The nominative form opus<\/i> is an English word, of course, used mainly to identify a work of music; in Latin, it tends to suggest the tangible product of work, rather than the process (labor<\/b>). Corpus<\/b>, omen<\/b>, and genus<\/b> are other 3rd declension neuter nouns that have entered English without change; of these, only genus<\/i> regularly keeps its original Latin plural\u2014genera<\/i>.<\/p>\n

       <\/p>\n

      1. The Canadian spelling of these words, like many aspects of Canadian life, is a little indecisive. Canadian newspapers have been using the -or<\/em> forms since the nineteenth century, but Canadian schools\u2014at least, those schools that still teach spelling\u2014cling to the British -our<\/em> preference. One system is no more \u201ccorrect\u201d than the other. There are some -our\/-or<\/em> words, like harbour<\/em> and neighbour<\/em>, that are actually of Germanic origin. Others, like endeavour<\/em>, are derived from Latin, but not from Latin -or nouns. ↵<\/a><\/li><\/ol><\/div>","protected":false},"author":20,"menu_order":1,"template":"","meta":{"pb_show_title":"on","pb_short_title":"Chapter 3: The Latin Noun (Declensions 3, 4, 5)","pb_subtitle":"","pb_authors":[],"pb_section_license":""},"chapter-type":[52],"contributor":[],"license":[],"class_list":["post-591","chapter","type-chapter","status-publish","hentry","chapter-type-numberless"],"part":579,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/greeklatinroots\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/591","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/greeklatinroots\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/greeklatinroots\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/chapter"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/greeklatinroots\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/20"}],"version-history":[{"count":26,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/greeklatinroots\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/591\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2069,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/greeklatinroots\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/591\/revisions\/2069"}],"part":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/greeklatinroots\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/parts\/579"}],"metadata":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/greeklatinroots\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/591\/metadata\/"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/greeklatinroots\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=591"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"chapter-type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/greeklatinroots\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapter-type?post=591"},{"taxonomy":"contributor","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/greeklatinroots\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/contributor?post=591"},{"taxonomy":"license","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/greeklatinroots\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/license?post=591"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}