William of Ockham

On God's Power

Latin Grammar: Unus, nullus, alter

Utrum Deus possit remittere peccatori culpam et poenam sine infusione gratiae creatae

Quod non: Quia nullus est quin est gratus Deo vel reprobatus ab eo; sed per peccatum est homo reprobatus et per gratiam acceptus; igitur nullus est nec esse potest quin sit in peccato vel in gratia; igitur expulsio unius infert formaliter infusionem alterius.
Contra: Hoc fieri non includit contradictionem; igitur Deus potest hoc facere.

There are a few adjectives in Latin that decline differently from normal first/second declension adjectives in the singular genitive and dative, but regularly in the plural. These adjectives, which all have the same morphology, include unus, nullus, and alter: "one," "none," and "the other," all of which Ockham uses in the passage above. The other adjectives that work this way are alius, solus, totus, ullus, neuter, and uter.

Exercise: Find the correct form of the given adjective to make it agree with the given noun.

1. (nullus) peccatum
2. (unus) fidei (gen.)
3. (unus) fidei (dat.)
4. (alter) ratione
5. (alter) rationi
6. (unus) Deo
7. (nullus) congregationem
8. (nullus) congregationis
9. (alter) doctoris
10. (nullus) quaestione

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