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Quick Latin Grammar question

 
 
Reply Wed 13 Oct, 2010 09:37 am
I was wondering if you were translating the phrase "Tell me!" from English into Latin, would you say "Dic me" or "Dic mihi?" I keep reading that it should be the second one, but I'm not entirely sure why.

Thanks!
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George
 
  2  
Reply Wed 13 Oct, 2010 11:56 am
@wildflower92490,
Mihi has the sense of "to me", as in "Speak to me".
Me has the sense "me" as in "Speak 'me'".

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jjorge
 
  1  
Reply Wed 13 Oct, 2010 10:34 pm
Can I piggyback on this thread and ask:

is "Ubi ego sum? a correct translation of "where am I?"
George
 
  2  
Reply Thu 14 Oct, 2010 06:38 am
@jjorge,
jjorge~
Quote:
. . . is "Ubi ego sum? a correct translation of "where am I?"


Yes, but beause "I" is implied in sum, you can drop ego unless you wish to
put emphasis on "I".

Ubi --> where
ego --> I
sum --> I am -- or -- am I
jjorge
 
  1  
Reply Thu 14 Oct, 2010 07:39 am
@George,
Thanks George.
From my two years of Latin long, long ago, I was vaguely aware of the fact that 'ego' isn't needed.
Spanish (which I know much better) is the same - ie. 'Donde soy?' is all that's needed but for emphasis one can say: Donde soy yo?

I was also unsure about the question mark in Latin. After a little search I learned that it dates from the 8th century A.D. So, it didn't exist in the Roman 'Golden Age'.

BTW
My interest in the phrase: 'where am I?' comes from a talk I recently attended having to do with 'mindfulness'. Asking the question, 'where am I?' was described as a means or a device to 'turn one's attention to the moment'.

George
 
  1  
Reply Thu 14 Oct, 2010 08:39 am
@jjorge,
You're welcome, jjorge.
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