Blackadder (partim) Latine

Gratias ago Sebastiano ob hoc fragmentum allatum

Category:

Entertainment

Tags:

• Latin
• Blackadder

[L1ZZ1771]

Baaaah-us

[Winge42]

Hahae, wonderful! This is what he is supposed to say, as far as I can hear:

"Sed, mihi nuntiatum est Romanum undique oppugnari, sed imperator nihil fecisse, praeter matrem venenavisse equumque uxorem duxisse. Itaque, senatus copias e Britannia revocare ad civitatem nostram imperialem defendam constituit."

[adi87tya]

One thing I've always wondered about Latin pronunciation -- why are we taught to pronounce in that very Anglicized way? I have no idea how the Romans sounded, but wouldn't their accent have been likely more similar to the way Italians speak?

[queenoblivia]

@Macflucky Sweet Jesus. As a first year Latin student who's only on chapter 2 of Wheelock's and already a bit confused by the first declension of nouns (but picking it up), reading that made me shit my pants just a little. I hope to look back on that one day and have any idea what you're talking about but for now it just whooshes over my poor, confused head.

[Macflucky]

I I believe the accusative to be Romanum but following the rules of the 3 declension this should take the ablative which means it should actually be Romam as already used but indicitave of motion towards it should be followed by an ablative case referring to the gerund of the first instance....

[abc101090]

I`ll have to check with my Latin teacher what he thinks is the correct form, but I personally think Stephen Fry, who is said to be very good in Latin, wouldn`t let such a mistake as you`re saying is in the film, happen.

[HomicidalDwarf]

@abc101090 Which in Latin is only possible when there is an impersonal verb, e.g. Dicitur Caesar Rhenum transire. For all other purposes Latin uses the AcI.

[abc101090]

@HomicidalDwarf I believe you are talking about nominativus cum infinitivo, in which the accusative is romam. In nom.c.inf., "when a verb, to which in the active an acc.c.inf. is joined, is used personally in the passive, the word word which corresponds to the accusative of an active sentence is in the nominative form." (my translation from Finnish) An example: "Livius dicit Romulum Romam condidisse". An example of acc.c.I. : Facinus est vinciri civem Romanum".

[HomicidalDwarf]

@abc101090 Theoretically, yes, but it means 'To me has been said Rome is attacked from all sides'. At which point accusative is required, as subject of the AcI, even though it's passive. And we all know Roma in the accusative becomes Romam.

[abc101090]

@HomicidalDwarf You`re incorrect. According to my dictionary "Romanus" can be either an adjective or a noun. Romanus goes like "annus", which is a second declension word in Latin.

Trust me, I checked it from a course textbook AND a dictionary and have studied Latin at university level.

[GodmyX]

I think they should've said "nuntiandum est" that would make sense "I must announce"

[pppdwandcpfanno1]

@peperonyandchease Errm, what?