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Latin from scratch course › #10: Apposition and predicative › #10.21: Predicative complement

Latin from scratch #10.21: The predicative complement

In the twenty-first class of the Latin from Scratch course, we’ll study the predicative complement, both referring to the subject and to the direct object. At first it might be hard to spot, but we’ll understand it by practicing.

I explain everything in the following video (⏳ 09m 15s ⌛):

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Morphosyntax

The definition of predicative complement might be hard to get, but we can summarize it as the conjunction of two functions: the one of the attribute of a noun or pronoun, and the one of the adverbial of a verb. It is some kind of mix of both functions.

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An adjective has a predicative function and refers to a noun or pronoun (the subject or the direct object) through a non-copulative verb; therefore it cannot be an attribute (they require a copulative verb) or an adverbial of manner (despite the semantics; we are dealing with an adjective, not an adverb). It is also different from a regular adjective.

The predicative complement agrees in gender, number and case with the noun it refers to.

Puer ambulat laetus.

The boy walks glad.

We have a predicative of the subject. We should not translate it The glad boy walks or The boy walks gladly.

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Senatus Q. Fabium Maximum dictatorem creavit.

The senate appointed Quintus Fabius Maximus dictator.

In this sentence we have a predicative of the direct object. These usually appear in similar structures: appoint somebody (as) something/role, consider (that) someone (is) something, etc. (In these cases, the predicative might be considered a noun more than an adjective).

Once we’ve understood both the apposition and the predicative complements, let’s practice and learn a few things about the god Apollo.

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Next: The active subjunctive present tense →

Paco Álvarez

About Paco Álvarez

I’m Paco Álvarez, a Spanish classical philologist. For years I’ve been teaching Latin and Greek online to Spanish students. When I saw there was nothing like my AcademiaLatin.com for English-speaking Latin lovers, I decided to create it myself, and that’s how LatinFromScratch.com was born.

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Course content

  1. Quick start
  2. Introduction
  3. Cases and their functions
  4. The five declensions
  5. First declension
  6. Verbal conjugation
  7. Present tense
  8. Second declension
  9. 2-1-2 adjectives
  10. Imperfect past tense
  11. Future tense
  12. Third declension nouns
  13. Third declension adjectives
  14. Perfect past tense
  15. Adverbials of place
  16. Fourth declension
  17. Fifth declension
  18. Pluperfect tense
  19. Possessives
  20. Personal pronouns
  21. Apposition
  22. Predicative complement
  23. Present subjunctive
  24. Imperfect subjunctive
  25. Perfect subjunctive
  26. Perfect future indicative
  27. Pluperfect subjunctive
  28. Syntax of cum
  29. Syntax of ut & ne
  30. Comparison of adjectives
  31. Superlative adjectives
  32. Adverbs from adjectives
  33. Demonstratives
  34. Relative clauses
  35. Passive voice
  36. Deponent verbs
  37. Relative time
  38. Participles: morphology
  39. Participles: syntax
  40. Infinitives
  41. Compounds of sum
  42. Irregular verbs
  43. Imperative

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