Quoting Latin Fragments

Latin after CDLXXVI
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Scyph
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Joined: Sat Jan 29, 2011 4:35 am

Quoting Latin Fragments

Post by Scyph »

Hi Textkit!

I have a question concerning the conventions surrounding the quotation of Latin phrases or fragments taken from longer Latin sentences. I'm currently writing a paper in which I integrate phrases in English translated from the Latin, with the Latin of course footnoted. My question is whether or not it is conventional to alter the endings of the words in the Latin fragments so that the phrases make sense grammatically out of context.

I know this is conventional when shortening the titles of printed texts, for instance, but I've received mixed advice concerning quotations integrated into the body of the paper. So for instance, if I'm quoting a long series of items such that only a list of nouns will appear in the footnoted Latin, would it be conventional to change the endings into the nominative case from eg. the accusative? Likewise, if I take a phrase out of a Latin sentence that was originally modified by a word that isn't being quoted, would it be conventional to change the endings to reflect this?

Thanks in advance for your advice!

mwh
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Joined: Fri Oct 18, 2013 2:34 am

Re: Quoting Latin Fragments

Post by mwh »

When quoting the Latin you should quote it exactly. This is generally acknowledged as best practice, and if you want to do otherwise you should say what your practice is. The only exception is for single Latin words quoted in the body of the main text, e.g. “Vergil refers to Aeneas as a ‘man’ (vir).”

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