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Hi!
"grange_road" <david_mccann@hidden.email> writes:
> --- In romconlang@yahoogroups.com, theiling@... wrote:
> > Further, what would be the status of the adverb? When did the 'mente'
> > forms emerge and be used exclusively colloquially to replace the
> > '-iter' morpheme?
>
> A late reply, but I've only just joined:
No problem at all -- you're providing valuable information to me!
And welcome to the list! :-)
> 1. -iter went early, because the only possible trace of it in Romance
> is the -r- in forms like Rum "altminteri". In the 8th C, a Bible
> commentary *in Latin* had to explain "singulariter" as "solamente".
Hihi. :-)
> 2. "mente" was always there: "placida mente" is perfectly good
> classical Latin. It is very rare in South Italian, Rumanian, and (I
> think) Sardinian, though.
Ah, Sardinian! That's one of the sources I'm using -- the web isn't
too full of information about it, though. But the fact that it is
conservative in some respects (retain of older five vowel system and
Latin words like 'equus' (not only 'equa')...) makes it a good source
for me.
Rumanian is also a source for me due to retaining cases (and because I
like the copula 'fi' :-))
So this might very well influence my decisions about the adverb.
(I'm currently still doing the verbs.)
> 3. Later Latin often used the neuter adjective as an adverb, which
> survives in Rum., S It. ("mi dunanu sulu" they only give me...), and
> colloquial Sp. ("hablas ligero" you talk quickly).
This is another interesting information, since this brings me close to
Icelandic.
Icelandic also two major ways to form the adverbs: one adding -lega,
and one using the neuter form. This somewhat parallels the situation
you describe above. (And, btw, 'mente' would become 'mett' in
Thrjotran).
**Henrik