Relative Pronouns & Relative Clauses
- 0:27 - the full declension of the Relative Pronoun in all genders, numbers, and cases
- 1:50 - similarities to noun declension endings
- 2:25 - terminology & concepts for relative clauses (relative pronoun, relative clause, antecedent)
- 3:37 - rules regarding gender, number, and case (with examples)
- 5:41 - how two clauses combine to make a relative (with examples)
- 7:12 - finding the antecedent (hint: use Gender & Number clues)
- 7:49 - the English relative pronoun translations
- 8:30 - summary
|
|
The Relative Pronoun qui, quae, quod is the equivalent of the English who/which/that. It is used to join two complete sentences that share a common noun (or pronoun) so that the noun doesn't have to be repeated. For example:
We see the boy. + The boy is leading a horse.
We see the boy who is leading a horse.
Vidēmus puerum. Puer equum agit.
Vidēmus puerum qui equum agit.
We see the boy who is leading a horse.
Vidēmus puerum. Puer equum agit.
Vidēmus puerum qui equum agit.
The noun that is repeated in both original sentences is called the antecedent (from antecedere, "to go before"), because it is the word that is relating the two sentences together. Also, conveniently, the antecedent often (though by no means always) comes right before the relative pronoun when the sentences are combined into one.
The part of the new sentence that contains the antecedent is called the main clause because it stands alone as a full sentence ("We see the boy"). The part of the sentence that starts with the relative pronoun is called the relative clause ("who is leading a horse"). It no longer can stand alone as its own unit. Instead, it now basically serves as one big adjective describing the antecedent.
Because the relative pronoun is behaving adjectivally (remember, the Rel. Pro. is just a place marker for a noun that has already been used in the sentence), it must have the same Gender and Number as the antecedent. "The boy"/puerum is Masculine Singular, so the Rel. Pro. must also be Masc. Sing.
However, the Rel. Pro. gets its case from its usage within the relative clause. "The boy"/puerum is the Direct Object of the main clause, BUT "who"/qui is the Subject of the relative clause. Therefore, the Rel. Pro. is in the Nominative case.
The part of the new sentence that contains the antecedent is called the main clause because it stands alone as a full sentence ("We see the boy"). The part of the sentence that starts with the relative pronoun is called the relative clause ("who is leading a horse"). It no longer can stand alone as its own unit. Instead, it now basically serves as one big adjective describing the antecedent.
Because the relative pronoun is behaving adjectivally (remember, the Rel. Pro. is just a place marker for a noun that has already been used in the sentence), it must have the same Gender and Number as the antecedent. "The boy"/puerum is Masculine Singular, so the Rel. Pro. must also be Masc. Sing.
However, the Rel. Pro. gets its case from its usage within the relative clause. "The boy"/puerum is the Direct Object of the main clause, BUT "who"/qui is the Subject of the relative clause. Therefore, the Rel. Pro. is in the Nominative case.
Identifying relative clauses is easier to do in Latin than in English. In English, you have to think about where the relative clause ends based on logical thought completion. But in Latin, you can rely on the fact that the relative clause will always be a self-contained unit, no matter where it is in the sentence. The relative clause begins with the Rel. Pro (it may have a preposition immediately before it), and usually ends with the very first verb you encounter. It is a good idea when you see a relative clause to put brackets around it to aid in translating.
When translating from English to Latin, it is also very helpful to draw an arrow from the Rel. Pro. back to the antecedent. This can remind you what gender and number you will need for the Rel. Pro., then look inside the brackets to figure out its usage in the clause to determine the case. [See the example sentences in the video above.]
- Dīligō puellam [quae ex Italiā vēnit.] I admire the girl [who came from Italy.]
- Homō [dē quō dīcēbās] est amīcus meus. The man [about whom you were speaking] is my friend.
- Puella [cui librum dat] est fortūnāta. The girl [to whom he is giving the book] is fortunate.
- Puer [cuius patrem iuvābāmus] est fortis. The boy [whose father we used to help] is brave.
- Vītam meam committam eīs virīs [quōrum virtūtēs laudābās.] I shall entrust my life to those men [whose virtues you were praising.]
- Timeō idem perīculum [quod timētis.] I fear the same danger [that you fear.]
When translating from English to Latin, it is also very helpful to draw an arrow from the Rel. Pro. back to the antecedent. This can remind you what gender and number you will need for the Rel. Pro., then look inside the brackets to figure out its usage in the clause to determine the case. [See the example sentences in the video above.]