2007-03-01 08:14:17 · 9 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Languages
In the form shown, it could be masculine (accusative) or neuter.
However, given the choice between masculine and feminine, it is masculine.
2007-03-05 06:31:24 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Ithyphallos is right: depending on the context, it could be the accusative singular of a masculine adjective; and, as he says, it could also be a neuter substantive (or, indeed, accusative masculine substantive). Or even a somewhat poetic genitive plural. I would add, however, that such substantive use led the form universum to be considered as a noun in its own right, rather than as an adjective standing in for one, so to speak. This, rather than having the general meaning "that which is universal", had the narrower scope of "world" or "universe". OK, I know ithyphallos said more or less the same thing, but to me there's a very slight distinction (though I suppose the issue of how Classical speakers actually used the words they spoke is rather moot).
2007-03-01 11:41:18 · answer #2 · answered by garik 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Depends on which case it's in. Universus is an adjective, and as such is in the same case as the noun it modifies. It could also be a substantive, or an adjective in place of a noun (which I think it probably is, though without context it's impossible to tell). If it's modifying a masculine noun in the accusative, it's masculine (the masculine accusative of adjectives of this type end in -um). If it's modifying a neuter noun in the nominative or accusative case case, it's neuter.
The simplest answer (I know, why didn't I write the simplest answer first - what can I say, I love to ramble) is that it's a neuter substantive. In Latin, it's common to refer to the whole world or the universe as universum (singular neuter substantive). Universum alone (without any context or noun to modify) would have to have this meaning, and so would be neuter.
Hope that answers your question.
2007-03-01 08:27:47 · answer #3 · answered by ithyphallos 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
It's neuter! The third one, goes like bellum:
bellum war (subject)
bellum war (object)
belli of war
bello to/for war
bello by/with/from war
bella wars (subject)
bella wars (object)
bellorum of wars
bellis to/for wars
bellis by/with/ from wars
2007-03-01 10:06:54 · answer #4 · answered by Spike J 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It is Neuter. !00% sure.
2007-03-01 08:17:45 · answer #5 · answered by Zach D 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
it's neuter
http://ablemedia.com/ctcweb/showcase/whitakerwords.html
2007-03-01 08:19:51 · answer #6 · answered by distant_foe 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
its nuter, you can tell from the UM ending.
2007-03-01 08:21:29 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
it is neuter i believe!
2007-03-01 08:16:41 · answer #8 · answered by *Scandinavian Sweetheart* 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
It's bisexual.
2007-03-01 08:21:24 · answer #9 · answered by Away With The Fairies 7 · 0⤊ 2⤋