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A New Latin Syntax
The book gives an historical account of the chief Latin constructions in twenty-five chapters arranged in such an order as to make it useful as a progressive revision course in syntax for Advanced Level and University students. The account of each construction is fully documented with examples drawn from the series of authors from Plautus to Tacitus. An attempt has been made to substitute, as far as possible, historical explanation for the statistical rules usually found in textbooks on composition which inevitably leave a litter of unexplained exceptions. The book aims to equip students to interpret texts as well as to write correct Latin, and the index of passages quoted may make it useful as a work of reference for teachers.
The order of presentation represents a compromise between the order followed in exhaustive scientific grammars, which tend to deal with each construction in a watertight compartment, and that of the average text-book on composition, which bears no relation to the historical order of development. For example, the chapter on the independent uses of the subjunctive is put before those dealing with the subordinate uses derived therefrom, but the series of chapters on the uses of the cases is interrupted by a chapter on the infinitive and the accusative and infinitive of oratio obliqua. This is not done merely for the sake of variety, but to enable any teacher who wishes to compose his own exercises in composition to introduce indirect reports at an early stage.
The order of presentation represents a compromise between the order followed in exhaustive scientific grammars, which tend to deal with each construction in a watertight compartment, and that of the average text-book on composition, which bears no relation to the historical order of development. For example, the chapter on the independent uses of the subjunctive is put before those dealing with the subordinate uses derived therefrom, but the series of chapters on the uses of the cases is interrupted by a chapter on the infinitive and the accusative and infinitive of oratio obliqua. This is not done merely for the sake of variety, but to enable any teacher who wishes to compose his own exercises in composition to introduce indirect reports at an early stage.
296 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1959
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
June 21, 2020
Currently reading: dense but helpful
Just learned about the generic subjunctive in a relative clause (156) - this means a relative clause can be explanatory or adversative (expresses opposition in spite of which - causal, concessive, or consecutive).
Just learned about the generic subjunctive in a relative clause (156) - this means a relative clause can be explanatory or adversative (expresses opposition in spite of which - causal, concessive, or consecutive).
July 11, 2016
Slow but sure progress through a thorough and deeply engaging book. Who knew that Latin internal accusatives and datives of advantage and disadvantage could be so interesting? I've reread the sections on cognate accusatives and Greek Middle Voice. Currently reading about infinitives.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews