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Use of “sit” instead of “est” in Virgil

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I came across the quotation "Nunc scio quid sit amor" (Virgil, Ecl. VIII.43), and I’d like to know why the subjunctive "sit" is used instead of "est" here. Since it means "Now I know what love is" and not "Now I know what love might be", why wouldn’t "is" be indicative in Latin?

coniunctivus indirect-question

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I came across the quotation "Nunc scio quid sit amor" (Virgil, Ecl. VIII.43), and I’d like to know why the subjunctive "sit" is used instead of "est" here. Since it means "Now I know what love is" and not "Now I know what love might be", why wouldn’t "is" be indicative in Latin?

coniunctivus indirect-question

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I came across the quotation "Nunc scio quid sit amor" (Virgil, Ecl. VIII.43), and I’d like to know why the subjunctive "sit" is used instead of "est" here. Since it means "Now I know what love is" and not "Now I know what love might be", why wouldn’t "is" be indicative in Latin?

coniunctivus indirect-question

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edited 6 hours ago

Hugh

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edited 6 hours ago

Hugh

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Hugh

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edited 6 hours ago

Hugh

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The direct question 'What is love?' has been embedded into another sentence, forming an indirect question. An indirect question 'gives the substance of the question, adapted to the form of the sentence in which it is quoted' (Allen & Greenough, New Latin grammar, §330.2). In Latin, the verb in indirect questions is usually subjunctive, not indicative. However, they are often translated as though the verb were indicative; the use of the subjunctive really just shows subordination.

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4

The direct question 'What is love?' has been embedded into another sentence, forming an indirect question. An indirect question 'gives the substance of the question, adapted to the form of the sentence in which it is quoted' (Allen & Greenough, New Latin grammar, §330.2). In Latin, the verb in indirect questions is usually subjunctive, not indicative. However, they are often translated as though the verb were indicative; the use of the subjunctive really just shows subordination.

share|improve this answer

edited 7 hours ago

answered 7 hours ago

cnreadcnread

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4

The direct question 'What is love?' has been embedded into another sentence, forming an indirect question. An indirect question 'gives the substance of the question, adapted to the form of the sentence in which it is quoted' (Allen & Greenough, New Latin grammar, §330.2). In Latin, the verb in indirect questions is usually subjunctive, not indicative. However, they are often translated as though the verb were indicative; the use of the subjunctive really just shows subordination.

share|improve this answer

edited 7 hours ago

answered 7 hours ago

cnreadcnread

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add a comment | 

The direct question 'What is love?' has been embedded into another sentence, forming an indirect question. An indirect question 'gives the substance of the question, adapted to the form of the sentence in which it is quoted' (Allen & Greenough, New Latin grammar, §330.2). In Latin, the verb in indirect questions is usually subjunctive, not indicative. However, they are often translated as though the verb were indicative; the use of the subjunctive really just shows subordination.

share|improve this answer

edited 7 hours ago

answered 7 hours ago

cnreadcnread

9,35011 gold badge1111 silver badges2626 bronze badges

share|improve this answer

edited 7 hours ago

answered 7 hours ago

cnreadcnread

9,35011 gold badge1111 silver badges2626 bronze badges

answered 7 hours ago

cnreadcnread

9,35011 gold badge1111 silver badges2626 bronze badges

answered 7 hours ago

cnreadcnread

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