Learn the Endings of Fifth Declension Latin Nouns

Learn the Endings of Fifth Declension Latin Nouns Latin is an inflected language, meaning that words are modified to express different grammatical categories such as tense, number, gender, or case. Many inflected languages make a distinction between the modification of verbs versus other parts of speech. The inflection of verbs, for instance, is also called conjugation, whereas the inflection of nouns, adjectives, and pronouns is known as declension. Latin nouns possess gender, case, and number (i.e., singular and plural). While the declensions generally delineate number and case, gender does have its place in the language, particularly with the neuter nouns. The Latin language has five declensions, each of which is based on the stem. The first declension is considered the –a stem, the second the –o stem, the third is consonantal, the fourth the –u stem, and the fifth the –e stem. Every noun in Latin follows on of these five declensions. Here we will look at the declension of Latin nouns, specifically the fifth declension. Fifth Declension of Latin Nouns The fifth declension nouns in Latin are sometimes called -e stem nouns. The nouns of this declension are few but common. Like the first declension, fifth declension nouns are typically feminine, which a few exceptions. For instance, the word for day (dies) can be either masculine or feminine in the singular, but in the plural, it is masculine.  Meridies, the Latin word for mid-day, is also masculine. Otherwise, the fifth declension nouns are all feminine (all 50 or so of them). The forms of fifth declension are easily taken for third declension forms. But mistaking an accusative plural fifth declension noun for an accusative plural third declension noun, for instance, as long as you have the gender right, should cause no trouble in translation. Most Fifth Declension Nouns in Nominative Singular End in -IES The Rudiments of Latin and English Grammar,  by Alexander Adam (1820) characterizes fifth declension Latin nouns as follows: All nouns of the fifth declension end in ies, except three; fides, faith; spes, hope; res, a thing; and all nouns in ies are of the fifth, except these four; abies, a firtree; aries, a ram; paries, a wall; and quies, rest; which are of the third declension. The Fifth Declension Endings The endings of the masculine or feminine fifth declension are as follows:   Case Singular Plural NOM. -es -es GEN. -ei -erum DAT. -ei -ebus ACC. -em -es ABL. -e -ebus Let’s take a look at these fifth declension endings in action using the Latin word dies, -ei,  f. or m., day. Case Singular Plural NOM. dies dies GEN. diei dierum DAT. diei or die diebus ACC. diem dies ABL. die diebus Here are some other fifth declension nouns for practice: effigies, effigiei, f., effigyfides, fidei, f., faithres, rei, f., thingspes, spei, f., hope. For more information and resources, explore a paradigm of an additional fifth declension noun,  Ã‚  f.  (thinness), complete with macrons and umlauts.

Hydrothermal Vents and the Marine Life They Support

Hydrothermal Vents and the Marine Life They Support Despite their forbidding appearance, hydrothermal vents support a community of marine creatures. Here you can learn the definition of hydrothermal vents, what theyre like as a habitat and what marine creatures live there.   How Hydrothermal Vents Form Hydrothermal vents are essentially underwater geysers created by tectonic plates. These huge plates in the Earth’s crust move and create cracks in the ocean floor. Ocean water enters the cracks, is heated up by the Earth’s magma, and then released through the hydrothermal vents, along with minerals such as hydrogen sulfide, which end up forming volcano-like projections on the seafloor. The water coming out of the vents can reach incredible temperatures of up to 750 degrees F, even though the water outside of the vents can be near freezing in temperature. Although the water coming out of the vents is extremely hot, it isnt boiling because it is unable to under the high water pressure. Due to their remote location in the deep sea, hydrothermal vents were discovered relatively recently. It wasnt until 1977 that scientists in the submersible  Alvin  were amazed to discover these undersea chimneys spewing hot water and minerals into the cold waters thousands of feet below the ocean surface. It was even more surprising to discover these inhospitable areas teeming with marine creatures. What Lives in Them? Living in a hydrothermal vent habitat presents challenges that prevent many marine creatures from inhabiting this hostile environment. Its inhabitants need to contend with total darkness, toxic chemicals, and extreme water pressure. But despite their intimidating description, hydrothermal vents support a wide variety of marine life, including fish,  tubeworms, clams, mussels, crabs, and shrimp. Hundreds of species of animals have been identified in the hydrothermal vent habitats around the world. At a hydrothermal vent, there is no sunlight to produce energy. Bacteria-like organisms called  archaea  have solved this problem by using a process called chemosynthesis to turn chemicals from the vents into energy. This energy-creating process drives the entire hydrothermal vent food chain. Animals in the hydrothermal vent community subsist on products produced by the archaea, or on the minerals in the water produced from the vents.   Types of Hydrothermal Vents Two types of hydrothermal vents are the black smokers and white smokers. The hottest of the vents, the black smokers, got their name because they spew a dark smoke composed mostly of iron and sulfide. This combination forms iron monosulfide and gives the smoke its black color. The white smokers release a cooler, lighter material composed of compounds including barium, calcium, and silicon. Where Are They Found? Hydrothermal vents are found at an average underwater depth of about 7,000 feet. They are found in both the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans and concentrated near the Mid-Ocean Ridge, which winds its way along the seafloor around the globe. So Whats the Big Deal? Hydrothermal vents play an important part in ocean circulation and regulating the chemistry of ocean waters. They contribute nutrients required by ocean organisms. Microbes found at hydrothermal vents may also be important to the development of medicines and other products. Mining of minerals found at hydrothermal vents is an emerging issue that may allow scientists to learn more about hydrothermal vents, but may also damage the seafloor and surrounding marine communities. References Cowan, A.M.Deep Sea Hydrothermal Vents. National Geographic.Pfeffer, W. 2003. Deep Oceans. Benchmark Books. 38pp.Viders, H. 2011. Hydrothermal Vents. Alert Diver Online.Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. What Are Hydrothermal Vents?