Caffè Carpediem # Predicative Dative in Latin [表述與格]

Caffè Carpediem # Predicative Dative in Latin [表述與格]

來自專欄 Carpe Diem

鏘鏘鏘鏘~ 今天我的Caffè Carpediem正式開張~

本咖啡廳作為提供語法知識講座的小沙龍,一來解答此前練習里出現過的(比較令人困惑的)語法,二來為大家進行相關知識點的整理回顧。每個語法點後面附有小練習,可以配合語法知識來鞏固複習。習題答案在文末,做題的時候不可以偷看。

另外,由於本店主目前手頭沒有中文教材,所以有一些專業用詞就用英文替代了,在第一次出現時會標註(可能不太準確的)中文翻譯,如果專業用詞的翻譯上有誤,還請大家幫我多多指正~ 有什麼疑問或者想法也可以在下面留言~


【PREDICATIVE DATIVE】

在之前的練習「Latin AS-Level Practice Passages 4 The Assassination of Dion」中,開頭第一句的分析曾被眼尖的讀者批評不夠準確:Dion, tyrannus Syracusarum, antea laudatus, iam magno odio erat et populo et militibus. 當時沒有意識到其中包含著一個重要的語法點,現在單獨拿出來給大家做一個講解。沒有做過本篇練習的同學也可將其作為新語法知識來學習。本句的主幹部分:Dion magno odio erat. 「迪翁非常遭人恨」,為什麼magno odio是與格呢?這就是今天的主題:predicative dative (表述與格)。

通常而言,在拉丁文中,我們說「A是B」,那麼A和B都應該用主格:前一個是主語,後一個是主語的補足語。但在一個更加特殊和表示強調的用法之下,尤其是對於那些比較抽象的名詞,通常會讓B變為與格(dative)形式,這就是所謂的表述與格(因為它對A進行了描述或斷定,或者提供了新的信息)。

在舊式英文中也有相對應的表述,比如

[1] He was a soldier.

[2] He went for a soldier.

這兩句在意思上相差不大,前一句中,He和soldier在拉丁語中都對應主格形式,由動詞be連接。在第二句中,He為主格,但 for a soldier 就是拉丁文中的與格了。

  • Q1: 拉丁文中的predicative dative是如何使用的呢?

通常它會跟在be動詞後面出現,也就是開頭提到的那句一樣,而且同時一般還會有另外一個與格相伴出現(以表明其描述行為施予的對象)。來看例子:

  1. socii nobis auxilio erant. The allies were a help (lit. for a help) to us.

本句中,主幹是socii auxilio erant. 直譯為「盟友是援助」,但socii 和auxilio 無論在格位還是單複數上都不一致,socii是主格複數,auxilio 是與格單數,但中間用複數be動詞連接,乍看之下顯得很奇怪。這時就要想到predicative dative的情況: auxilio 是作為pre.dat.出現的。而nobis表示auxilio(援助)的對象,"給(對)我們",也同樣為與格。同樣地,

2. libros liberis dono dedi. I gave the children books as a gift (lit. for a gift).

本句主幹是libros dedi. 「我給書」,liberis是謂語動詞「給予」的對象,「給孩子們」。而 dono [dat.sing.n.] 在性數格上似乎既不和 libros [acc.pl.m. of [liber, libri, m. book]]關聯,也沒有和liberis [dat.pl.m. of liber, liberi, m. pl. children]關聯,這時就要想到dono是作為pre.dat.使用,英文直譯為for a gift, 意譯為 as a gift. 」作為禮物「。

一般來說,作為表述與格的名詞有時還有加上一個形容詞來修飾它,比如第一句裡面的auxilio, 可以擴展為magno auxilio (a great help).

  • Q2: 有哪些名詞經常作為pre.dat.使用呢?以下列舉出最常用的幾個:

argumento, be a proof

auxilio, be a help

bono, benefit

curae, be a matter of concern

dolori, be a cause of grief

dono, as a gift

exemplo, as an example

exitio, bring destruction

honori, be an honour

laudi, be a credit

malo, harm

muneri, as a service

odio, be an object of hatred (to, +dat.) (「be hated by」)【 就是這貨!】

oneri, be a burden

periculo, be a source of danger

praesidio, be a means of protection

pudori, be a source of shame

saluti, be the salvation of

usui, be of use


【練習1】

  1. hi milites civibus praesidio erunt.
  2. tempestas nautis periculo erat.
  3. hic liber mihi magno usui est.
  4. pueri magistro oneri sunt.
  5. illa femina duci nostro exitio erat.
  6. scelera filii curae erant matri.
  7. qui suos produnt nobis odio sunt.

【練習2】

  1. All the allies were a help to the Romans.
  2. That senator was an object of hatred to his own citizens.
  3. The victory is an honour to our men.
  4. This money will be of great use to the old man and his wife.
  5. My brothers crime is a matter of concern to me.

【參考答案】

【練習1】

1 These soldiers will be a means of protection for the citizens.

2 The storm was a source of danger to the sailors.

3 This book is of great use to me.

4 The boys are a burden to the teacher.

5 That woman brought destruction to our leader.

6 The crimes of the daughter were a matter of concern to her mother.

7 Those who betray their own men are hated by us.

【練習2】

1 omnes socii auxilio erant Romanis.

2 ille senator civibus suis odio erat.

3 victoria honori est nostris.

4 haec pecunia seni et uxori magno usui erit.

5 scelus fratris mihi curae est.

(本文改編和譯自Taylor, J. (2017) Latin Beyond GCSE. Bloomsbury. )

(今天的圖片部分不來源於網路)


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