View source for Declension - conjugation

In almost all languages there can be (usually small) changes to the form of some words. These changes reflect either the different parts which the word can play in a sentence (e.g., in the case of a [[noun]] whether it is the subject or object of the [[verb]]) or (slight) differences in the meaning of the word  (e.g., in the case of a [[noun]] whether it is [[singular]] or [[plural]], or in the case of a [[verb]] whether its subject is in the first person, second person, or third person and whether it is in the past, present or future tense). Typically, though not always, these changes involve a change in the ending of the word while the rest of the word - the stem - remains unchanged. When we change the form of a word in this way we are said to '''[[inflect]]''' it (from the [[Latin]] ''inflectere'', which means: to bend or alter). The associated [[noun]] is '''inflection'''. 

Incidentally, English is a relatively uninflected language: it does not involve the inflection of words to any great extent, unlike many other ancient and modern languages, such as Latin and Greek, German, Russian, and Arabic. 


*In [[grammar]] we use different sets of words to talk about the '''inflection''' of [[noun]]s, [[pronoun]]s, and [[adjective]]s, on the one hand, and the '''inflection''' of [[verb]]s, on the other.


*When we list systematically the different forms of a '''noun''', '''pronoun''', or '''adjective''' we are said to '''decline''' it. (from the [[Latin]] verb ''declinare'', which means to bend away or inflect grammatically) The related [[noun]] '''declension''' means either the act of declining such a word or a systematic list of the different forms which the word can have. Here, as an example, is the '''declension''' (i.e., a systematic list of the different forms) of the [[Latin]] word ''hortus'' (garden) in the singular: 


{| border=''1''
|+ Declension of ''hortus''
|-
| Nominative case || hort'''us''' || 'garden' as subject of a verb
|- 
| Vocative case || hort'''e''' || used to address a garden: O garden
|-
| Accusative case || hort'''um''' || 'garden' as object of a verb
|-
| Genitive case || hort'''i''' || used to indicate possession: of a garden
|-
| Dative case || hort'''o''' || 'garden' as indirect object of the verb: to a garden
|-
| Ablative case || hort'''o''' || by, with, or from a garden
|} 



For more on the different cases see [[Case in grammar]].

In [[Latin]] and in many other languages not all [[noun]]s have the same set of endings for the different cases, i.e., there are different '''declensions''' of [[noun]]s. In [[Latin]] there are in fact five '''declensions'''.


*When we list systematically the different forms of a [[[verb]] we are said to '''conjugate''' it. (from the [[Latin]] [[verb]] ''conjugare'', which means: to join together) The related [[noun]] '''conjugation''' means either the act of conjugating a [[verb]] or a systematic list of the different forms which the [[verb]] can have. Here, as an example, is the '''conjugation''' (i.e., a systematic list of the different forms) of the [[Latin]] [[verb]] ''laborare'' (to work) in the present tense:



{| border=''1''
|+ Conjugation of present tense of ''lavoro''
|-
| First person singular || labor'''o''' || I work
|-
| Second person singular || labor'''as''' || you (singular) work)
|-
| Third person singular || labor'''at''' || he or she works)
|-
| First person plural || labor'''amus''' || we work
|-
| Second person plural || labor'''atis''' || you (plural) work)
|-
| Third person plural || labor'''ant''' || they work
|}.



In [[Latin]] and in many other languages not all [[verb]]s have the same set of endings for the different possibilities, i.e., there are different '''conjugations''' of [[verb]]s. In [[Latin]] there are in fact four '''conjugations'''.

[[Category:Grammar]][[Category:Grammar concepts]][[Category:Latin]]