Breakdown of Quidam discipuli formam verborum cito tenent, alii autem sensum paulatim intellegunt.
discipulus
the student
verbum
the word
autem
but
alius
other
Questions & Answers about Quidam discipuli formam verborum cito tenent, alii autem sensum paulatim intellegunt.
What does quidam mean here?
Quidam means certain or some. It refers to an indefinite group, but often with a slight sense of some particular ones rather than just any.
So quidam discipuli means some students or certain students.
A learner may compare it with aliqui:
- quidam = some, certain ones
- aliqui = some, any, an indefinite number with less emphasis on particular identity
In this sentence, quidam sets up the first group, and alii later introduces the contrasting second group.
Why is discipuli in the nominative plural?
Discipuli is the subject of tenent, so it is in the nominative plural.
- discipulus = student
- discipuli = students
Since tenent means they hold/grasp and has a third-person plural ending, the subject also needs to be plural: students.
In the second clause, alii is also nominative plural and functions as the subject of intellegunt.
What case is formam, and why?
Formam is because it is the of .