Vocative

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When we call someone by name in Latin, we use a form of the name called the "vocative". Here are the basic rules for making a vocative:
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When we call someone by name in Latin, we use a form of the name called the "'''vocative case'''". Here are the basic rules for making a vocative:
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*If a name ends in "'''-ius'''", then the vocative ends in "'''-i'''". "'''''Tullius'''''" becomes "'''''Tulli'''''".
 
*If a name ends in "'''-ius'''", then the vocative ends in "'''-i'''". "'''''Tullius'''''" becomes "'''''Tulli'''''".
 
*If a name ends in "'''-us'''", then the vocative ends in '''"-e"'''. "'''''Marcus'''''" becomes "'''''Marce'''''".
 
*If a name ends in "'''-us'''", then the vocative ends in '''"-e"'''. "'''''Marcus'''''" becomes "'''''Marce'''''".
 
*All other names do not change at all. "'''''Cicero'''''" stays "'''''Cicero'''''", "'''''Livia'''''" stays "'''''Livia'''''" and so on.
 
*All other names do not change at all. "'''''Cicero'''''" stays "'''''Cicero'''''", "'''''Livia'''''" stays "'''''Livia'''''" and so on.
  
There is a complete discussion of *which* name you should use at [[Choosing_a_Roman_name#Which_Names.3F]] .
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=== Usage in practice ===
  
 
It is a good idea in general to use the praenomen and nomen combination (the first two parts of the name):  
 
It is a good idea in general to use the praenomen and nomen combination (the first two parts of the name):  
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*"''Salve, Gai!''"
 
*"''Salve, Gai!''"
  
===Algorithmicly Speaking...===
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There is a complete discussion of *which* name you should use at [[Using Roman names]].
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===Algorithmically speaking...===
  
 
This '''perl''' function will return the vocative form of a name.
 
This '''perl''' function will return the vocative form of a name.

Revision as of 07:31, 22 July 2008

When we call someone by name in Latin, we use a form of the name called the "vocative case". Here are the basic rules for making a vocative:

  • If a name ends in "-ius", then the vocative ends in "-i". "Tullius" becomes "Tulli".
  • If a name ends in "-us", then the vocative ends in "-e". "Marcus" becomes "Marce".
  • All other names do not change at all. "Cicero" stays "Cicero", "Livia" stays "Livia" and so on.

Usage in practice

It is a good idea in general to use the praenomen and nomen combination (the first two parts of the name):

  • To say hello to Marcus Lucretius Agricola you would write "Salve, Marce Lucreti!".
  • To say hello to Aulus Apollonius Cordus you would write "Salve, Aule Apolloni!".
  • To say hello to Gaius Equitius Cato you would write "Salve, Gai Equiti!".

A more informal style is for friends to use the cognomen (the last part of the name):

  • "Salve, Agricola!"
  • "Salve, Corde!"
  • "Salve, Cato!"

Only if you are family members or very, very close friends indeed with these people you could write:

  • "Salve, Marce!""
  • "Salve, Aule!"
  • "Salve, Gai!"

There is a complete discussion of *which* name you should use at Using Roman names.

Algorithmically speaking...

This perl function will return the vocative form of a name.

    sub makeVocative
    {
        my ($nomen) = @_;

        my @elements = split(/\s+/, $nomen);
   
        for (my $i=0; $i<=$#elements; $i++)
        { 
            $elements[$i] =~ s/ius$/i/;
            $elements[$i] =~ s/us$/e/;
            $elements[$i] =~ s/IUS$/I/;
            $elements[$i] =~ s/US$/E/;
        }
        return join(' ', @elements);
    }
   
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