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THE DEMONSTRATIVE IS, EA, ID

LESSON XVII

THE DEMONSTRATIVE IS, EA, ID

112. A demonstrative is a word that points out an object definitely, as this, that, these, those. Sometimes these words are pronouns, as, Do you hear these? and sometimes adjectives, as, Do you hear these men? In the former case they are called demonstrative pronouns, in the latter demonstrative adjectives.

113. Demonstratives are similarly used in Latin both as pronouns and as adjectives. The one used most is

is, masculine ; ea, feminine ; id, neuter



Singular




this

that



Plural




these

those



114. Is is declined as follows. Compare its declension with that of alius, § 109.

Base e-

 

Singular

 

Plural

masc. fem. neut. masc. fem. neut.
Nom. is ea id eī (or iī) eae ea
Gen. eius eius eius eōrum eārum eōrum
Dat. eīs (or iīs) eīs (or iīs) eīs (or iīs)
Acc. eum eam id eōs eās ea
Abl. eīs (or iīs) eīs (or iīs) eīs (or iīs)

Note that the base e- changes to i- in a few cases. The genitive singular eius is pronounced eh'yus. In the plural the forms with two i’s are preferred and the two i’s are pronounced as one. Hence, pronounce as ī and iīs as īs.

115. Besides being used as demonstrative pronouns and adjectives the Latin demonstratives are regularly used for the personal pronoun he, she, it. As a personal pronoun, then, is would have the following meanings: