Topic 1 "Nouns"
Grammatical categories of nouns
In Latin language the nouns may be of three genders:
genus masculinum (m) – masculine gender
genus femininum (f) – feminine gender
genus neutrum (n) – neuter gender
The gender of nouns is decided by meaning and by the ending of a noun.
Nouns have two numbers:
numerus singularis (sing.) – singular number
numerus pluralis (pl.) – plural number
There are six cases in Latin:
Nominativus (Nom.) – nominative
Genetivus (Gen.) – genitive
Dativus (Dat.) – dative
Accusativus (Acc.) – accusative
Ablativus (Abl.) – ablative
Vocativus (Voc.) – vocative (is not used in medical terminology)
Declensions
Latin nouns are divided into five groups or declensions by their endings in Gen. sing.
|
Number |
Case |
Declensions |
||||
|
Gender |
I |
II |
III |
IV |
V |
|
|
f |
m n |
m, f, n |
m n |
f |
||
|
Sing. |
Nom.
Gen. |
-a
-ae |
-us -um -er -on
-i |
different
-is |
-us -u
-us |
-es
-ei |
So, the nouns of feminine gender refer to the first and fifth declensions; the nouns of masculine and neuter gender to the second and fourth declensions, and the nouns of all three genders to the third one.
The dictionary format of nouns is:
costa, ae f corpus, oris n
oculus, i m processus, us m
atrium, i n cornu, us n
canalis, is m facies, ei f
The stem of nouns
It is necessary to learn how to find the stem of nouns in order to decline them correctly and form derivative words. The stem is a part of the word without ending. It is found in Gen. sing.
word stem
vertebra, ae f vertebr-
musculus, i m muscul-
brachium, i n brachi-
ductus, us m duct-
genu, us n gen-
The third declension nouns have some peculiarities.
1 The nouns of all genders concern to third declension. In Nom. sing. they have different endings, in Gen. sing. – is.
2 The third declension nouns are divided into those having an equal and those having a different syllable number in Nom. and Gen. sing.
E.g.: Nom. canalis cutis axis
Gen. canalis cutis axis
These nouns have equal syllable number.
The dictionary format of these nouns is: canalis, is m; cutis,is f; axis, is m.
Some other nouns have additional syllable in Gen.sing. if
to compare with Nom.sing.
E.g.: Nom. dens articulatio femur
Gen. dentis articulationis femoris
3 The stem is found by dropping –is in Gen.sing.
Nom. cortex radix crus
Gen. cortic-is radic-is crur-is
stem cortic- radic- crur-
The dictionary format of the nouns with the additional syllable: cortex, icis m; radix, icis f; crus, cruris n (before ending –is this syllable is added and it is the part of the stem).
Remember the following anatomical terms!!!
1-st declension
arteria, ae f – artery
glandula, ae f – gland
ala, ae f – wing
incisura, ae f – incisure
bursa, ae f – bursa
lingua, ae f – tongue
costa, ae f – rib
lamina, ae f – lamina
crista, ae f – crest
maxilla, ae f – upper jaw, maxilla
concha, ae f – concha
mandibula, ae f – low jaw, mandible
clavicula, ae f – clavicle
palpebra, ae f - cilia
fossa, ae f – fossa
scapula, ae f – blade bone, scapula
fissura, ae f – fissure
vertebra, ae f - vertebra
2-nd declension
masculine
angulus, i m – angle
sulcus, i m – sulcus (pl. sulci)
bronchus, i m – bronchus
nervus, i m – nerve
fundus, i m – fundus
lobus, i m – lobe
musculus, i m – muscle
nasus, i m – nose
neuter
brachium, i n – shoulder
ligamentum, i n – ligament
cavum, i n – cavity
manumbrium, i n – manubrium
cerebrum, i n - cerebrum
membrum, i n – limb
collum, i n – neck
septum, i n – septum
cranium, i n – skull
sternum, i n – sternum (breastbone)
labium, i n – lip
tuberculum, i n – tubercle
3-rd declension
masculine
apex, ǐcis m – apex
pulmo, ŏnis m – lung
axis, is m – axis
pes, pedis m – foot
canalis, is m – canal
tendo, ǐnis m – tendon
coccyx, ygis m – coccyx
thorax, ācis m – chest
margo, ǐnis m – edge
feminine
articulatio, ōnis f – joint
frons, ntis f – forehead
basis, is f – base
cutis, is f – skin
cartilago, ǐnis f – cartilage
pars, partis f – part
cervix, īcis f – cervix
radix, īcis f – radix
extremitas, ātis f – extremity
phalanx, ngis f – phalanx
neuter
caput, ĭtis n – head
femur, ŏris n – hip, femur
cor, cordis n – heart
foramen, ǐnis n – foramen
corpus, ŏris n – body
occiput, ĭtis n – occiput
crus, cruris n – shin
os, oris n – mouth
os, ossis n – bone
tempus, ŏris n – temple
4-th declension
masculine
aditus, us m – adit
plexus, us m – plexus
arcus, us m – arch
processus, us m – process
ductus, us m – duct
sinus, us m – sinus
meatus, us m – passage
neuter
cornu, us n – horn
genu, us n – knee
5-th declension
facies, ēi f – surface, face
superficies, ēi f – surface
caries, ie f - caries
