Introduction to the problem of
African Latin 3:
Morpho-syntactic changes in African Latin
as evidenced in inscriptions
Adamik, Béla
Lendület (‘Momentum’) Research Group for Computational
Latin Dialectology
& Latin Department of the Eötvös Loránd
University, Budapest
Research Institute for Linguistics of the
Hungarian Academy of Sciences
1. Vocative for the Nominative
 LLDB-51653: voc. pro nom., SECVDE AMATO|R
= Secundus amator
 LLDB-51962: voc. pro nom., VERNA|CLE IN
[PACE] = Vernaculus in pace
 LLDB-52229: voc. pro nom., EVTICIANE | IN
PACE | VIXIT = Eutychianus in pace vixit
 LLDB-65289: voc. pro nom., LELI () SACE|RDOS
() VOTVM SOLVIT = Laelius () sacerdos votum
solvit
 LLDB-65290: voc. pro nom., SILVANE
SACE|RDOS () VOTVM SOLVIT = Silvanus
sacerdos () votum solvit
1. Vocative for the Nominative
 Adams (2007) 570: „Statistically the
examples in Latin inscriptions are
minute, and could not be used to
argue that African Latin in general
had undergone a peculiar
development, that is the replacement
of the nominative endings in
masculine names by the vocative.”
2. The transformation of the case system in
African Latin as evidenced in inscriptions
 Gaeng (1992) inferred a radical reduction of the
five-case system of Classical Latin into a system
with only one inflection in later African Latin. In
his study, however, Gaeng did not do a real
investigation of frequency. Instead, he practically
quoted examples for each phenomenon, and,
since he was able to find examples for nearly all
phenomena of transformation in his corpus, he
concluded that all changes took place equally in
the language of the area and a system with only
one i.e. no inflection became established in later
African Latin.
Gaeng 1992
LLDB-51295: nom./abl. pro
acc. in obiecto directo / -m
> ø, MERVIT (|) CORONA|
= meruit () coronam, ILTun
1681, 12.
LLDB-42895: nom. pl. -AS
pro -ae / acc. pro nom., VNA
ET BIS SENAS TVRRES
CRESCEBANT = una et bis
senae turres crescebant,
ILAlg 1, 276, 1,
LLDB-59514: acc. pro abl.,
NATVS | CASAS MAIORES =
natus Casis Maioribus, ILAlg
1, 2758b, 5
?
LLDB-43555: dat./abl. pro
gen., COR|PVS FAMVLO
CHRI = corpus famuli
Christi, ILTun 271, 3
LLDB-53143: dat./abl. pro
nom. / dat./abl. pro acc.,
FACTO A () MARITO =
factus / factum a ()
marito, ILTun 1109/62, 4
LLDB-68769: acc. pro
nom., VISSITE|NT
FILOS ET NEPOTES
MEOS | = visitent filii et
nepotes mei, IRT 900, 9
LLDB-51762: acc. pro
abl., ANTIVS () CVM |
ANTIOS = Antius ()
cum Antiis , ILAlg 2,
491, 1-2
?
?
LLDB-53293: nom.
pro gen., REGIS |
ILDIRIX = regis
Childerici, Haidra 1,
413, 8
LLDB-43553: -s > ø /
dat. pro gen., IN
NOMINE PATRI ET =
In nomine patris et,
ILTun 271, 1
LLDB-59514: acc. pro
abl., NATVS | CASAS
MAIORES = natus Casis
Maioribus, ILAlg 1,
2758b, 5
LLDB-71855: (/ dat./abl.
pro acc.) VIXIT AN|NIS
() MEN|SES = vixit annis
() mensibus / annos ()
menses
?
Considered Regions of the Roman Empire
 we will analyse the distributional structures of
nominal morphosyntactic ‘errors’ recorded from
Latin inscriptions relevant to the changes of the
inflectional system. We will consider all types of
case confusions recorded in our material, with
particular emphasis on the substantial
confusions between the accusative and the
ablative, between the genitive and the dative,
and between the nominative and the accusative.
It is the merger of these cases from where the
Vulgar Latin declension system with just two or
three cases (depending on the region) emerged,
replacing the traditional declension system of
five cases.
0
Table 1: Early Africa 1
Table 1: Early Africa
Acc. ~ Abl.
24% - 52
18 acc. pro abl. LLDB-53906: (/ -ø > -m) PRO
SALVTEM | DOMINI = pro salute
domini
28 abl. pro acc. LLDB-57803: (/-m > ø) OB |
HONORE AEDILITATIS = ob
honorem aedilitatis
4 ablativus absolutus
accusativis permixtus
LLDB-45926: CVRATORIB|VS
SATVRVM = curatoribus Saturo
2 accusativus absolutus
pro ablativo absoluto
LLDB-44026: CVRAN|TES FILIOS |
EIVS = curantibus filiis eius
2
Nom.-Abl. ~
Acc.
17% - 43
43 nom./abl. pro acc. LLDB-43706: (/ -m > ø) CVRA
EGERVNT = curam egerunt
Nom. ~ Abl.
14% - 36
34 nom. pro abl. LLDB-42945: (/-s > ø) VI|XIT A|NI
LII = vixit annis LII
2 abl. pro nom. LLDB-55990: (/litterae superfluae),
LIVIA ZA|BA VXSO|RE = Livia Zaba
uxor
Table 1: Early Africa
Gen. ~ Dat.
10% - 26
9 gen. pro dat. LLDB-51063: M AVRELIO SEVERO
ALEXANDRO PIO FELI|CIS = Marco Aurelio
Severo Alexandro Pio Felici
17 dat. pro gen. LLDB-40069: (/ -s > ø) VXOR Q SILICI
MARTIA|LI = uxor Quinti Silici Martialis,
3
Nom. ~ Dat.
4% - 11
9 nom. pro dat. LLDB-52396: (/-s > ø), DI MANIBVS = Dis
Manibus
2 dat. pro nom. LLDB-57763: ( / dat. pro gen.), FONTEIA
VERNALI V = Fonteia Vernalis vixit
Dat.-Abl. ~
Acc.
4% - 9
9 dat./abl. pro
acc.
LLDB-50612: INTER EIS = inter eos, LLDB-
46806: ( / -um > O) LEGENS TITVM MEO
= legens titulum meum,
Nom.-Acc. ~
Abl.
10% - 26
26 nom./acc. pro
abl.
LLDB-43583: (/ dat./abl. pro acc.) VIX|IT
ANNIS | LX MENS|ES TRES = vixit annis
LX mensibus tribus / annos LX menses tres
Table 1: Early Africa 4
Acc. ~ Abl. 24% + Nom.-Acc. ~ Abl. 10% + Dat.-Abl. ~ Acc. 4% = 38%
Gen. ~ Dat. 10% + Dat.-Abl. ~ Gen. 1% = 11%
Nom. ~ Acc. = 1%
Table 2: Later Africa 5
Table 2: Later Africa 6
Nom.-Acc. ~
Abl.
38% - 51
51 nom./acc. pro abl. LLDB-71855: (/ dat./abl. pro acc.) VIXIT
AN|NIS () MEN|SES = vixit annis ()
mensibus / annos () menses
Acc. ~ Abl.
13% - 16
7 acc. pro abl. LLDB-59514: NATVS | CASAS MAIORES
= natus Casis Maioribus
9 abl. pro acc. LLDB-43608: (/ -m > ø), HABVIT PATRE
LAOMEDONTE| = habuit patrem
Laomedontem
Nom.-Abl. ~
Acc.
9% - 12
12 nom./abl. pro acc. LLDB-51295: (/ -m > ø) MERVIT (|)
CORONA| = meruit () coronam
Dat.-Abl. ~
Acc.
5% - 6
6 dat./abl. pro acc. LLDB-45538: ( nom./acc. pro abl.)
VIX|IT ANNIS | LXX MENSES | V = vixit
annis LXX mensibus V / vixit annos LXX
menses V (5); LLDB-71921: (/ -um >
O) PER SOLOMONEM (|) MAGISTRO =
per Solomonem () magistrum (1)
Table 2: Later Africa 7
Dat. ~ Abl.
5% - 6
1 dat. -ī > E LLDB-67878: (/ i: > E) [I]NVICTO PIO | FELICE
() PON|TIFICI = invicto pio felici () pontifici
5 abl. -e > I LLDB-40080: (/ e > I) IN PACI = in pace
Nom. ~ Abl.
5% - 6
4 nom. pro abl. LLDB-43623: (/ -s > ø /) VIX ANNI XLVI = vixit
annis XLVI
2 abl. pro nom. LLDB-51347: (/-s > ø) CASTRENSSE DVLCS =
Castrensis dulcis
Nom. ~
Acc.
4% - 5
3 nom. pro acc. LLDB-68767: HEC MEMORIAM FECIT = hanc
memoriam fecit
2 acc. pro nom. LLDB-68769: VISSITE|NT FILOS ET NEPOTES
MEOS | = visitent filii et nepotes mei
-AS pro –ae
2% - 3
3 nom. pl. -AS
pro -ae
LLDB-42896: (/ acc. pro nom.) VNA ET BIS
SENAS TVRRES CRESCEBANT IN ORDINE
TOTAS = una et bis senae turres crescebant in
ordine totae
Gen. ~ Dat.
4% - 5
3 dat. pro gen. LLDB-43553: (/ -s > ø), IN NOMINE PATRI ET
= In nomine patris et
2 gen. pro dat. LLDB-64824: NICOMACHO FLAVIANO
AGENTIS | = Nicomacho Flaviano agenti
Table 2: Later Africa 8
Nom.-Acc. ~ Abl. 38% + Acc. ~ Abl. 13% + Dat.-Abl. ~ Acc. 5% = 56%
Gen. ~ Dat. 4% + Dat.-Abl. ~ Gen. 1% = 5%
Nom. ~ Acc. = 4%
(+ -AS pro -ae 2% = 6%)
Chart 1a
Early Hispania
Acc. ~ Abl. 26% +
Nom.-Acc. ~ Abl. 2% +
Dat.-Abl. ~ Acc. 4%
= 32%
Gen. ~ Dat. 6% + Dat.-Abl.
~ Gen. 2%
= 8%
Nom. ~ Acc.
= 4%
Chart 2a
Early Gallia & Germania
Acc. ~ Abl. 8% + Nom.-Acc. ~
Abl. 0% + Dat.-Abl. ~ Acc. 2%
= 10%
Gen. ~ Dat. 26% + Dat.Abl.
~ Gen. 3%
= 29%
Nom. ~ Acc.
= 2%
Chart 3a
Early Italia
Acc. ~ Abl. 15% + Nom.Acc.
~ Abl. 13% + Dat.Abl.
~ Acc. 22%
= 50%
Gen. ~ Dat. 4% + Dat.-Abl.
~ Gen. 2%
= 6%
Nom. ~ Acc.
= 1%
Chart 4a
Early Roma
Acc. ~ Abl. 17% +
Nom.-Acc. ~ Abl. 11% +
Dat.-Abl. ~ Acc. 13%
= 41%
Gen. ~ Dat. 6% + Dat.-Abl.
~ Gen. 1%
= 4%
Nom. ~ Acc.
= 0%
Chart 5a
Early Illyricum
Acc. ~ Abl. 18% + Nom.Acc.
~ Abl. 2% + Dat.-Abl.
~ Acc. 3%
= 23%
Gen. ~ Dat. 11% + Dat.-Abl. ~
Gen. 2%
= 13%
Nom. ~ Acc. = 2% (+ -AS pro
–ae 4% = 6%)
Chart 6a
Early Africa
Acc. ~ Abl. 24% + Nom.Acc.
~ Abl. 10% + Dat.Abl.
~ Acc. 4%
= 38%
Gen. ~ Dat. 10% + Dat.-Abl.
~ Gen. 1%
= 11%
Nom. ~ Acc.
= 1%
Comparison of early Africa with
other early regions of the Empire
Table
3.3
c. 1-3
AD
Hispa
nia
Gallia &
Germania
Italia Roma Illyricum Africa
Proportion
of Acc.~Abl.
and
Gen.~Dat.
32%
/ 8%
= 4
(10% /
29%
= 0,3)
50% /
6%
= 8
41% /
4%
= 10
23% /
13%
= 1,8
38% /
11%
= 3,5
Rate of
Nom.~Acc.
4% 2% 1% 0% 2% 1%
9
Chart 1b
Later Hispania
Acc. ~ Abl. 31% +
Nom.-Acc. ~ Abl. 1% +
Dat.-Abl. ~ Acc. 23%
= 55%
Gen. ~ Dat. 5% + Dat.-Abl.
~ Gen. 2%
= 7%
Nom. ~ Acc. = 4% (+ AS
pro -ae 4% = 8%)
Chart 2b
Later Gallia & Germania
Acc. ~ Abl. 45% +
Nom.-Acc. ~ Abl. 1% +
Dat.-Abl. ~ Acc. 13%
= 59%
Gen. ~ Dat. 5% + Dat.-Abl.
~ Gen. 8%
= 13%
Nom. ~ Acc. = 0%
Chart 3b
Later Italia
Acc. ~ Abl. 25% + Nom.Acc.
~ Abl. 13% + Dat.Abl.
~ Acc. 4%
= 42%
Gen. ~ Dat. 4% + Dat.-Abl. ~
Gen. 2%
= 6%
Nom. ~ Acc. = 2% (+ -AS
pro -ae 1% = 3%)
Chart 4b
Later Roma
Acc. ~ Abl. 43% +
Nom.-Acc. ~ Abl. 11% +
Dat.-Abl. ~ Acc. 9%
= 63%
Gen. ~ Dat. 2% + Dat.-Abl.
~ Gen. 1%
= 3%
Nom. ~ Acc.
= 0% (+ -AS pro -ae 1% =
1%)
Chart 5b
Later Illyricum
Acc. ~ Abl. 19% + Nom.Acc.
~ Abl. 2% + Dat.-Abl.
~ Acc. 7%
= 28%
Gen. ~ Dat. 17% +
Dat.-Abl. ~ Gen. 18%
= 35%
Nom. ~ Acc.
= 3% (+ -AS pro -ae 2% =
5%)
Chart 6b
Later Africa
Nom.-Acc. ~ Abl. 38% +
Acc. ~ Abl. 13% + Dat.Abl.
~ Acc. 5%
= 56%
Gen. ~ Dat.
4% + Dat.-Abl. ~ Gen. 1%
= 5%
Nom. ~ Acc.
= 4% (+ -AS pro -ae 2% =
6%)
Comparison of later Africa with
other later regions of the Empire
10
Table
4.3
c. 4-
7
Hispan
ia
Gallia &
Germania
Italia Roma Illyricum Africa
Proportion
of
Acc.~Abl.
and
Gen.~Dat.
55%
/ 7%
= 8
59% /
13%
= 4,5
42% /
6%
= 7
63% /
3%
= 21
(28% /
35%
= 0,8)
56% /
5%
= 11
Rate of
Nom.~Acc.
4% 0% 2% 0% 3% 4%
de + abl. pro
gen. & ad +
acc pro dat.
16 & 4 1 & 1 5 & 0 0 & 0 1 & 0 0 & 0
LLDB-47046: de + abl. pro gen., VINDO PORTIONE| DE TERRA = vendo
portionem terrae
LLDB-60035: ad + acc. pro dat., AD EVM DICENS = ei dicens
Conclusions
Concerning the changes of the case system as
evidenced in inscriptions we can state that
dialectologically Africa and Hispania could have been
nearly related. This dialectological affinity of Africa and
Hispania that was emerging already in the early
Empire, i.e. in the first three centuries A.D., and could
have even increased and intensified in the later Empire,
i.e. in the Christian era from the fourth century A.D. on
and approximately up to the end of the 6th century.
Later, however, these affiliations could not evolve
further, perhaps because Africa became more and more
detached and isolated from the Latin language area
due to the Arabic invasions in the 7th century, crashing
its Latinity and hindering the potential birth of a
Romance language there.
Conclusions
The positioning of Africa alongside Hispania as for the
transformation of the case system is much more tenable
than the conclusion of Gaeng (1992: 128-129), who tried
to connect Africa with Sardinia in this respect but
without any acceptable reasoning, based on some
similar peculiarities of the vocalism of later
Sardinian and African Latin inscriptions.
It is characteristic of the general dialectological patterns of
the Latin language area that different dialectological
patterns can be peculiar to different linguistic subsystems
of the same corpus in the same region of a certain period,
thus patterns of one single special subsystem (e.g. of
vocalism) cannot be assigned and projected automatically
to another linguistic subsystem (e.g. to the case system) of
the same corpus.
Table 2: Later Africa 11
Nom.-Acc. ~ Abl. 38% + Acc. ~ Abl. 13% + Dat.-Abl. ~ Acc. 5% = 56%
Gen. ~ Dat. 4% + Dat.-Abl. ~ Gen. 1% = 5%
Nom. ~ Acc. = 4%
(+ -AS pro -ae 2% = 6%)
12
13
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Avete atque valete!
 Gratias vobis omnibus maximas ago!