Experience III, Lesson 26: Ablative Absolute Principles

Learning the principles of the Ablative Absolute

  1. The Ablative Absolute is most common everywhere, found in Latin of all times and places
    Corollary: It is very beloved
  2. It is never alone, but always part of a principal sentence
    Corollary: It functions as a subordinate phrase/clause
  3. There are two essential parts to each Ablative Absolute phrase/clause
    1. Subject
    2. Verb
  4. The Ablative Absolute can consist of 2 to 200 words
    Corollary: There may be many subordinate phrases in between the Subject and Verb
  5. The Subject is in the Ablative case
    The Verb is a Participle in the Ablative case
    Corollary: Any of our 4 Participles can form an Ablative Absolute, although it is usually with the Contemporaneous (active) and Antecedent (passive), almost never found with the Participle of Futurity or Necessity
    Exception: There is one famous exception that doesn't have a Participle - see Lesson 27
  6. Very often in this phrase/clause, the Romans begin with the verb, and the subject of the Ablative Absolute follows
    Corollary: The Subject is sometimes far away - see #4
  7. The Ablative Absolute has the natural meaning of the Participle
    Corollary: The natural meaning never changes
Now go on to Lesson 27: Ablative Absolute Meanings

Third Experience Latin - Fr. Reginald Foster

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