Re: Sensible passives (was: confession: roots)

In a message dated 5/10/01 7:40:58 AM, christophe.grandsire@FREE.FR writes:

<< Well, this is a strange thing: I've studied Classical Latin for about 6
years,

and I never saw such a rule. All texts I've studied (all Classical Latin
texts,

the preferred author in France being Cicero) have _ex_ in all cases. I don't

know if they have been rewritten, but this rule I really never saw. That's

strange: could the Classical Latin taught in different countries be different?


Christophe. >>

    In my old Latin book, it has a very odd explanation of the rule.  It's
not that "ex" changes to "e" before consonants, it's (and I'm quoting here):
" 'ex' can be used before consonants or vowels; "e", before consonants only".
 It gives no further explanation as to why anyone would ever use "e".  I'm
guessing that some writers found it necessary before certain consonants
because it sounded too clumsy, while others thought that it was just fine.
Or maybe it was just an abbreviation.  :)

-David