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Why is plural of “mons pubis†not “montes pubumâ€Â
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Latin newbie here. Was talking with a friend about Martian landforms like Olympus Mons. Then we talked about other uses of mons, like mons pubis. But then I realized I didn’t understand something.
The plural of “mons pubisâ€Â, as attested in the Oxford English Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, Wiktionary, and whatever, is “montes pubisâ€Â. But the plural genitive of nounal pÅ«bes is not pÅ«bis; it is pÅ«bum. So why is the plural phrase not “montes pubumâ€Â? (I’m assuming that it wouldn’t be “montes puberium†just like how the singular isn’t “mons puberisâ€Â.)
vocabulary idiom genetivus plural agreement
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Latin newbie here. Was talking with a friend about Martian landforms like Olympus Mons. Then we talked about other uses of mons, like mons pubis. But then I realized I didn’t understand something.
The plural of “mons pubisâ€Â, as attested in the Oxford English Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, Wiktionary, and whatever, is “montes pubisâ€Â. But the plural genitive of nounal pÅ«bes is not pÅ«bis; it is pÅ«bum. So why is the plural phrase not “montes pubumâ€Â? (I’m assuming that it wouldn’t be “montes puberium†just like how the singular isn’t “mons puberisâ€Â.)
vocabulary idiom genetivus plural agreement
asked 4 hours ago
user3048
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up vote
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up vote
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Latin newbie here. Was talking with a friend about Martian landforms like Olympus Mons. Then we talked about other uses of mons, like mons pubis. But then I realized I didn’t understand something.
The plural of “mons pubisâ€Â, as attested in the Oxford English Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, Wiktionary, and whatever, is “montes pubisâ€Â. But the plural genitive of nounal pÅ«bes is not pÅ«bis; it is pÅ«bum. So why is the plural phrase not “montes pubumâ€Â? (I’m assuming that it wouldn’t be “montes puberium†just like how the singular isn’t “mons puberisâ€Â.)
vocabulary idiom genetivus plural agreement
asked 4 hours ago
user3048
111
New contributor
user3048 is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
Latin newbie here. Was talking with a friend about Martian landforms like Olympus Mons. Then we talked about other uses of mons, like mons pubis. But then I realized I didn’t understand something.
The plural of “mons pubisâ€Â, as attested in the Oxford English Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, Wiktionary, and whatever, is “montes pubisâ€Â. But the plural genitive of nounal pÅ«bes is not pÅ«bis; it is pÅ«bum. So why is the plural phrase not “montes pubumâ€Â? (I’m assuming that it wouldn’t be “montes puberium†just like how the singular isn’t “mons puberisâ€Â.)
vocabulary idiom genetivus plural agreement
vocabulary idiom genetivus plural agreement
asked 4 hours ago
user3048
111
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user3048 is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
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asked 4 hours ago
user3048
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asked 4 hours ago
user3048
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asked 4 hours ago
user3048
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asked 4 hours ago
user3048
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2 Answers
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Pubes, genitive pubis means (as the dictionary tells us) "the signs of manhood, i.e. the hair which appears on the body at the age of puberty". It does not mean a single pubic hair, but - like the English word "hair" - it is a collective noun for the whole hairy covering of the body. That is why it stays in the singular even after a plural noun like montes.
answered 4 hours ago
fdb
9,99211126
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The genitive, in this case, functions like the prepositional phrase "of ..." in English, so the object of the preposition is independent with respect to number. Although the genitive describes or qualifies similar to the way that adjectives do, there is no requirement for numerical agreement as there is with adjectives.
For example, in English, we might speak of a house of cards, with house being singular and cards being plural. The number of cards is not in any way determined by the number of houses.
In the same way, pubis in the singular, is not affected by mons being singular or plural.
Here's some more information on the genitive:
GENITIVE WITH NOUNS
342. A noun used to limit or define another, and not meaning the same person or thing, is put in the Genitive.
This relation is most frequently expressed in English by the
preposition of, sometimes by the English genitive (or possessive)
case:—
librÄ« CicerÃ…Ânis, the books of Cicero, or Cicero's books.
inimīcī Caesaris, Cæsar's enemies, or the enemies of Cæsar.
talentum aurī, a talent of gold.
vir summae virtūtis, a man of the greatest courage.
answered 4 hours ago
Expedito Bipes
1,0231310
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2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
up vote
2
down vote
Pubes, genitive pubis means (as the dictionary tells us) "the signs of manhood, i.e. the hair which appears on the body at the age of puberty". It does not mean a single pubic hair, but - like the English word "hair" - it is a collective noun for the whole hairy covering of the body. That is why it stays in the singular even after a plural noun like montes.
answered 4 hours ago
fdb
9,99211126
add a comment |Â
up vote
2
down vote
Pubes, genitive pubis means (as the dictionary tells us) "the signs of manhood, i.e. the hair which appears on the body at the age of puberty". It does not mean a single pubic hair, but - like the English word "hair" - it is a collective noun for the whole hairy covering of the body. That is why it stays in the singular even after a plural noun like montes.
answered 4 hours ago
fdb
9,99211126
add a comment |Â
up vote
2
down vote
up vote
2
down vote
Pubes, genitive pubis means (as the dictionary tells us) "the signs of manhood, i.e. the hair which appears on the body at the age of puberty". It does not mean a single pubic hair, but - like the English word "hair" - it is a collective noun for the whole hairy covering of the body. That is why it stays in the singular even after a plural noun like montes.
answered 4 hours ago
fdb
9,99211126
Pubes, genitive pubis means (as the dictionary tells us) "the signs of manhood, i.e. the hair which appears on the body at the age of puberty". It does not mean a single pubic hair, but - like the English word "hair" - it is a collective noun for the whole hairy covering of the body. That is why it stays in the singular even after a plural noun like montes.
answered 4 hours ago
fdb
9,99211126
answered 4 hours ago
fdb
9,99211126
answered 4 hours ago
fdb
9,99211126
answered 4 hours ago
fdb
9,99211126
9,99211126
add a comment |Â
add a comment |Â
up vote
1
down vote
The genitive, in this case, functions like the prepositional phrase "of ..." in English, so the object of the preposition is independent with respect to number. Although the genitive describes or qualifies similar to the way that adjectives do, there is no requirement for numerical agreement as there is with adjectives.
For example, in English, we might speak of a house of cards, with house being singular and cards being plural. The number of cards is not in any way determined by the number of houses.
In the same way, pubis in the singular, is not affected by mons being singular or plural.
Here's some more information on the genitive:
GENITIVE WITH NOUNS
342. A noun used to limit or define another, and not meaning the same person or thing, is put in the Genitive.
This relation is most frequently expressed in English by the
preposition of, sometimes by the English genitive (or possessive)
case:—
librÄ« CicerÃ…Ânis, the books of Cicero, or Cicero's books.
inimīcī Caesaris, Cæsar's enemies, or the enemies of Cæsar.
talentum aurī, a talent of gold.
vir summae virtūtis, a man of the greatest courage.
answered 4 hours ago
Expedito Bipes
1,0231310
add a comment |Â
up vote
1
down vote
The genitive, in this case, functions like the prepositional phrase "of ..." in English, so the object of the preposition is independent with respect to number. Although the genitive describes or qualifies similar to the way that adjectives do, there is no requirement for numerical agreement as there is with adjectives.
For example, in English, we might speak of a house of cards, with house being singular and cards being plural. The number of cards is not in any way determined by the number of houses.
In the same way, pubis in the singular, is not affected by mons being singular or plural.
Here's some more information on the genitive:
GENITIVE WITH NOUNS
342. A noun used to limit or define another, and not meaning the same person or thing, is put in the Genitive.
This relation is most frequently expressed in English by the
preposition of, sometimes by the English genitive (or possessive)
case:—
librÄ« CicerÃ…Ânis, the books of Cicero, or Cicero's books.
inimīcī Caesaris, Cæsar's enemies, or the enemies of Cæsar.
talentum aurī, a talent of gold.
vir summae virtūtis, a man of the greatest courage.
answered 4 hours ago
Expedito Bipes
1,0231310
add a comment |Â
up vote
1
down vote
up vote
1
down vote
The genitive, in this case, functions like the prepositional phrase "of ..." in English, so the object of the preposition is independent with respect to number. Although the genitive describes or qualifies similar to the way that adjectives do, there is no requirement for numerical agreement as there is with adjectives.
For example, in English, we might speak of a house of cards, with house being singular and cards being plural. The number of cards is not in any way determined by the number of houses.
In the same way, pubis in the singular, is not affected by mons being singular or plural.
Here's some more information on the genitive:
GENITIVE WITH NOUNS
342. A noun used to limit or define another, and not meaning the same person or thing, is put in the Genitive.
This relation is most frequently expressed in English by the
preposition of, sometimes by the English genitive (or possessive)
case:—
librÄ« CicerÃ…Ânis, the books of Cicero, or Cicero's books.
inimīcī Caesaris, Cæsar's enemies, or the enemies of Cæsar.
talentum aurī, a talent of gold.
vir summae virtūtis, a man of the greatest courage.
answered 4 hours ago
Expedito Bipes
1,0231310
The genitive, in this case, functions like the prepositional phrase "of ..." in English, so the object of the preposition is independent with respect to number. Although the genitive describes or qualifies similar to the way that adjectives do, there is no requirement for numerical agreement as there is with adjectives.
For example, in English, we might speak of a house of cards, with house being singular and cards being plural. The number of cards is not in any way determined by the number of houses.
In the same way, pubis in the singular, is not affected by mons being singular or plural.
Here's some more information on the genitive:
GENITIVE WITH NOUNS
342. A noun used to limit or define another, and not meaning the same person or thing, is put in the Genitive.
This relation is most frequently expressed in English by the
preposition of, sometimes by the English genitive (or possessive)
case:—
librÄ« CicerÃ…Ânis, the books of Cicero, or Cicero's books.
inimīcī Caesaris, Cæsar's enemies, or the enemies of Cæsar.
talentum aurī, a talent of gold.
vir summae virtūtis, a man of the greatest courage.
answered 4 hours ago
Expedito Bipes
1,0231310
edited 3 hours ago
answered 4 hours ago
Expedito Bipes
1,0231310
answered 4 hours ago
Expedito Bipes
1,0231310
answered 4 hours ago
Expedito Bipes
1,0231310
1,0231310
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