Re: [tied] Re: 1st declension or Neuter?

From: P&G
Message: 21989
Date: 2003-05-17

> > Superabunt mala nostra
> > or
> > Superabunt malas nostra
> > (They will overcome the evils in our fatherland)

Malas is not a possible Latin form. You need the simple accusative as
object of the verb, in this case: mala. nostra is an adjective agreeing
with it. If you really must say "in our fatherland", it must be genitive
"mala patriae (nostrae)" "evils of our fatherland" (Latin -at least
Classical Latin - cannot have a prepositional phrase dependent on a noun, so
two nouns which are connected, whatever the relationship, must either be the
same case, or be linked by a genitive)

As for the "apple" thing, there are differences in vowel length, but this
wouldn't show up in prose. It gets worse, however:
malum (n) = evil
ma:lum (n) = apple
ma:lus (f) = appletree
ma:lus (m) = mast of a boat
mala (nt pl) = evil(s)
ma:la (f) = cheekbone
then there's the verb malo .....

Peter