My Early Life Learning Latin; W.L.CHURCHILL You have never done any Latin before, have you? he said. No, sir. This is a Latin grammar. He opened it at a well-thumbed page. You must learn this, he said, pointing to a number of words in a frame of lines. I will come back in half an hour and see what you know. Behold me then on a gloomy evening, with an aching heart, seated in front of the First Declension. Mensa - a table Mensa - O table Mensam - a table Mensae - of a table Mensae - to or for a table Mensa - by, with or from a table What on earth did it mean? Where was the sense in it? It seemed absolute rigmarole to me. However, there was one thing I could always do: I could learn by heart. And I thereupon proceeded, as far as my private sorrows would allow, to memorize the acrostic-looking task which had been set me. In due course the Master returned. Have you learnt it? he asked. I think I can say it, sir, I replied; and I gabbled it off. He seemed so satisfied with this that I was emboldened to ask a question. What does it mean, sir? It means what it says. Mensa, a table. Mensa is a noun of the First Declension. There are five declensions. You have learnt the singular of the First Declension. But, I repeated, what does it mean? Mensa means a table, he answered. Then why does mensa also mean O table, I enquired, and what does O table mean? Mensa, O table, is the vocative case, he replied. But why O table? I persisted in genuine curiosity. O table – you would use that in addressing a table, in invoking a table. And then seeing he was not carrying me with him, You would use it in speaking to a table. But I never do, I blurted out in honest amazement. If you are impertinent, you will be punished, and punished, let me tell you, very severely, was his conclusive rejoinder.
Posted on: Sun, 16 Mar 2014 07:15:49 +0000
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