Alia terminatio in eodem verbo interdum personam mutat, non sensum totius sententiae.

The sentence breaks down like this:

• alia terminatio = a different ending
• in eodem verbo = in the same word / verb-form
• interdum = sometimes
• personam mutat = changes the person
• non sensum totius sententiae = not the meaning of the whole sentence

The main verb is mutat = changes.

Because it agrees with terminatio.

• terminatio is a feminine singular noun
• so the adjective/pronominal adjective alia must also be feminine singular

So alia terminatio means another / a different ending.

Because it is in the nominative case: terminatio.

In Latin, the nominative usually marks the subject of the verb. Here, the thing doing the changing is the ending, so terminatio is the subject of mutat.

Here it most naturally means a different.

So alia terminatio is not mainly emphasizing one more ending, but rather a different ending. In context, the idea is that changing the ending can change the grammatical person.

Because in with the ablative often means in or within in a static sense.

Here:

• in = in
• eodem = ablative singular of idem, meaning the same
• verbo = ablative singular of verbum

So in eodem verbo means in the same word or within the same verb-form.

Literally, verbum usually means word. But in grammatical discussion, it can also be used in a way that makes English speakers think of a verb-form.

So here in eodem verbo most likely means something like:

• in the same word
• or more specifically, within the same verbal form / the same verb

The exact English wording depends on the context, but the Latin itself is perfectly natural.

Interdum means sometimes.

It modifies the whole idea of mutat: a different ending sometimes changes the person.

Its position is flexible. Latin often places adverbs where they fit rhythmically or stylistically, not in one fixed spot like English often does.

Because it is the direct object of mutat.

• mutat = changes
• what does it change? personam

So personam is accusative singular.

Also, persona here means grammatical person: first person, second person, or third person.

Because the sentence is talking about what a different ending changes in a word. In grammar, verb endings often show person:

• I speak = first person
• you speak = second person
• he/she/it speaks = third person

So personam mutat means it changes the grammatical person, not it changes the human being.

Because the verb mutat is understood again, even though it is not repeated.

So the structure is:

• personam mutat
• non sensum totius sententiae = not the meaning of the whole sentence

In fuller English, this is:

A different ending sometimes changes the person, but it does not change the meaning of the whole sentence.

In fuller Latin, you could imagine:

personam mutat, non sensum totius sententiae mutat

But Latin often leaves out a repeated verb when it is obvious.

Because it depends on sensum.

• sensus = meaning / sense
• sententiae = of the sentence
• totius = of the whole

So sensum totius sententiae means the meaning of the whole sentence.

This is a very common Latin pattern: a noun plus a genitive showing what it belongs to or is connected with.

Because totius is the genitive singular form of totus.

The phrase is not saying the whole sentence by itself; it is saying the meaning of the whole sentence. Since sentence must be in the genitive after sensum, totus must also be in the genitive to agree with sententiae:

• nominative: tota sententia = the whole sentence
• genitive: totius sententiae = of the whole sentence

Because Latin has no articles like English the and a/an.

So Latin often just says:

• terminatio = ending, an ending, or the ending
• sententiae = of a sentence or of the sentence

You decide from context which English article fits best.

The word order matters for emphasis more than for basic grammar.

Latin uses endings, not word position, to show each word’s role. So:

• terminatio is the subject because it is nominative
• personam and sensum are objects because they are accusative
• verbo is ablative because of in

This particular order gives a natural flow:

• subject first: alia terminatio
• setting: in eodem verbo
• adverb: interdum
• main point: personam mutat
• contrast: non sensum totius sententiae

So the order is meaningful stylistically, but not as rigidly as in English.

The contrast is:

• it changes personam
• not sensum totius sententiae

So the sentence means that a different ending may change one grammatical feature, but not the overall meaning of the sentence.

The non is not simply negating the whole sentence; it is contrasting two possible things that might be changed.

Yes. Latin could say that, but it usually does not need to.

A fuller version would be something like:

Alia terminatio in eodem verbo interdum personam mutat, non sensum totius sententiae mutat.

That is more explicit, but less elegant. Latin often omits repeated words when the meaning is obvious. This is called ellipsis.