Bob's dog did what?

What is a case?  We meet this word early on in our Latin studies and need to grasp at least the idea behind it.  As Judah aptly said in class today, a case sets out a role a noun plays in a sentence.  I like that word--role--and I hope you take some time to think about what it means.

Nouns get to do one thing (and one thing only) each time they are used.  They are subjects, direct objects, possessives, and a host of other possible roles.  But they do each one at a time.  No word gets to be two at once.  And case is how we talk about this property nouns have.

But case, when observed in Latin, takes on one more role which we don't see often in English:  specific forms (found in the endings on a noun).  Most nouns in English have only two forms which change their role--the basic form of the noun, which we use for just about everything, and the possessive form we use for, well, possessing things.  As an example, remember our sample sentences from class today:  BOB is dead.  BOB'S dog ate the body.  Both sentences involve Bob, but we can't switch the forms and keep any sense of meaning:  BOB'S is dead.  BOB dog ate the body.  See?  No sense.

We rarely think about this aspect of nouns when we speak or write in English.  We say (or write) a word and are unconcerned if we just spoke a subject or object, possessive or instrumental.  We just say words and move on to the next.  Latin necessarily slows us down and makes us consider the role.  

So as you read your Latin (and say it aloud, right?), slow down.  Think about what you are reading and what the endings are telling you.  The more you do this, the less you will have to think about it.  

Oh, and watch out for Bob's dog.