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“People Called ‘Romanes’ They Go the House!”

by Jimmy Akin on June 30, 2011

in Curios & Humor

Even if you’ve never taken Latin, this is funny. (It’s even funnier if
you have.)

Reminds me of my own Latin tutor.

{ 8 comments }

Agnes June 30, 2011 at 9:40 am

That is funny!!! My favorite part is the ending.

D. Thakur June 30, 2011 at 10:38 am

Wait — but why the locative? The locative would be “at home” not towards “home.”
And in any case, the locative of “domus” is “domi,” isn’t it?
So yes, it should be “Romani, ite [ad] domum” but that’s not using the locative.

Ace June 30, 2011 at 8:44 pm

I think I remember a story once of an English teacher at my middle school correcting a student for writing “your” instead of “you’re” while writing on a bathroom stall. History repeats itself…again!

Leah B. July 1, 2011 at 5:41 am

This is my favorite scene from the Life of Brian… I also like “blessed are the cheese makers.” Unfortunately, I wouldn’t necessarily recommend the whole movie. Sigh.

ArsAstronautica July 2, 2011 at 10:53 am

Wait — but why the locative? The locative would be “at home” not towards “home.”
Not quite. While you are right, the locative CASE ending for domus is domi, there are actually three rules for the use of endings for place names & “domus”, all of which are referred to collectively as the locative.
When the place is where, then the locative case ending is used (genitive ending for 1/2 decl singular, ablative for 1/2/3 decl plural). When the place is from which, then the ablative is used. When the place is to which (which is the case here), then the accusative is used. In all cases, no preposition is used. All of these are considered locative usages, though the locative case ending is only used in one of the rules. So really the video is correct.

The Pachyderminator July 2, 2011 at 11:46 am

Off topic, why is the left column suddenly so much wider? On a lower-resolution monitor this wastes a lot of valuable space.

Jimmy Akin July 2, 2011 at 1:23 pm

Pachy: All will become clear.

Tom Simon July 2, 2011 at 10:20 pm

I talked my first-year Latin instructor into using this clip in class. Went over very well, as I recall. And I, for one, have never forgotten to use the accusative for ‘motion towards’.
Unfortunately (?) I have never had the opportunity to cover a palace wall in Latin graffiti. A sad example of the decline of the liberal arts in daily life.

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