Conjunctions

Conjunctions come in two flavors, coördinating conjunctions and subordinating conjunctions. Coördinating conjunctions join two expressions or two clauses at the same level. Subordinating conjunctions connect a clause at a lower level to a clause one level deeper.

In addition, a number of adverbs are often used like conjunctions. These include a number of Latin equivalents of English words like therefore, moreover and however.

Coördinating Conjunctions

These connect two grammatical units at an equal level, such as:

two nouns or noun phrases
the green bird and the hungry cat
two independent clauses
Purple cows don't exist, but Descartes claims to exist because he thinks.

Simple conjunctions

ac. and.
at. but. (This is more emphatic than sed.)
atque. and, and also, moreover.
aut. or.
et. and.
nec non. and besides.
sed. but.
vel. or.

Paired conjunctions

atque...atque. both...and.
aut...aut. either...or.
et...et. both...and.
nec...et. not only...but also.
Note: the meaning of the first conjoined expression is affirmative rather than negative not only in Latin but also in English (nec in lingua Latina classica et in lingua Anglisca moderna)!
nec...nec. neither...or.
ut...ita. Although...nevertheless.

Adverbial conjunctions

ergo, idcirco, itaque, unde. hence, thus, therefore, then, whence.
etiam, insuper, porro, praeterea. and besides, furthermore, and in addition, moreover.
tamen, autem. however, nevertheless, nonetheless.

Subordinating Conjunctions

These connect a clause of one level to a clause of a deeper level:

Purple cows don't exist, but Descartes claims to exist because he thinks.

For a number of subordinating conjunctions, the meaning may depend significantly on the mood (indicative or subjunctive) of the verb in the subordinate clause. The indicative mood typically has a factual meaning, whereas the subjunctive frequently denotes possibility or obligation.

cum. when, whenever, since, because.
- cum-temporal clauses (when, whenever). The subordinate clause takes the subjunctive mode.
- cum-causal clauses (since, because). The subordinate clause takes the indicative mode if the time is present, future or definite past. The subordinate clause takes the subjunctive mode for indefinite past time.
si. if.
- Statements of fact take the indicative mode.
- Statements of possibility take the subjunctive mode.

Some subordinating conjunctions

antequam. before.
cum. when, whenever, since, because.
dum. while, if only, so long as, until.
si. if.
usque. until.
ut. while, as.

Mathematical equations and fit

In mathematical German, formulas (equations and inequalities) are treated as expressions rather than as sentences. However, in mathematical English, they are more commonly treated as sentences. Since symbolic expressions of the kind used in nineteenth and twentieth century mathematics only go back to the Renaissance period, treatment of these symbolic expressions may vary a bit. A writer handling formulas as expressions is apt to make heavy use of fit, the third person singular present indicative of the irregular verb fieri. In English, this is apt to be translated as therefore rather than more literally as it becomes. The following example should clarify the issue:

Latin Literal English

Sit:
     f(x)=x².
Mutando x in x+h,
fit:
     f(x)=x²+2hx+h². Let it be:
     f(x)=x².
Changing x into x+h,
it becomes:
     f(x)=x²+2hx+h². Let:
     f(x)=x².
Then,
changing x into x+h,
     f(x)=x²+2hx+h².

Mail comments to Eric Conrad (econrad@math.ohio-state.edu).
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Last updated: Sun Sep 14 14:38:18 EDT 1997

Latin	Literal	English
Sit: f(x)=x². Mutando x in x+h, fit: f(x)=x²+2hx+h².	Let it be: f(x)=x². Changing x into x+h, it becomes: f(x)=x²+2hx+h².	Let: f(x)=x². Then, changing x into x+h, f(x)=x²+2hx+h².