Breakdown of Avia respondet lanam utilem esse, quia ex lana tunicam texere potest.
Questions & Answers about Avia respondet lanam utilem esse, quia ex lana tunicam texere potest.
Because after a verb of speaking/thinking like respondet, Latin commonly uses indirect statement: accusative + infinitive (often called ACI).
So Avia respondet lanam utilem esse literally means Grandmother replies wool to be useful, i.e. Grandmother replies that wool is useful.
In an ACI, the “subject” of the infinitive (esse) goes into the accusative, so lana becomes lanam.
For the same reason: it’s an indirect statement. Latin prefers:
- direct: Lana utilis est = Wool is useful
- indirect after respondet: lanam utilem esse = that wool is useful
Also notice agreement: lanam is feminine accusative singular, so the adjective must match: utilem (fem. acc. sg.).
Respondet means she answers / replies. In Latin it often introduces either:
- a reply to someone with a dative (e.g., puero respondet = she replies to the boy), and/or