De Defectibus

Started by Vetus Ordo, May 16, 2021, 10:07:18 AM

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Vetus Ordo

We all know the famous De defectibus in celebratione missarum occurrentibus of St. Pius V that is annexed to every Roman missal. It lists common defects that may occur in the celebration of mass.

Now I was struck with a sudden doubt: why defectibus? Obviously, it's a third or fourth declension, ablative plural, ending. But I can't find any noun defectus belonging to the 3rd or 4th declension, only to the 2nd. So it would seem that it should be de defectis, if indeed it belongs to the 2nd declension. Most likely, my dictionary is at fault here and there must be a defectus of the 4th declension that would legitimize the form defectibus (or defectubus). Can anyone find a defectus of the 4th declension?
DISPOSE OUR DAYS IN THY PEACE, AND COMMAND US TO BE DELIVERED FROM ETERNAL DAMNATION, AND TO BE NUMBERED IN THE FLOCK OF THINE ELECT.

Fleur-de-Lys

#1
I'm afraid your dictionary is lacking, Vetus. Defectus is also a 4th declension noun formed from the past participle of deficere.


Jayne

Probably most 4th declension nouns are from from the 4th principal part of a verb.    Here as some example found at: https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/greeklatinroots/chapter/%C2%A770-the-perfect-participle-as-4th-declension-noun/

LATIN VERB                       LATIN NOUN          
agere, actus ("do")                     actus ("a doing)             
cadere, casus ("fall")              casus ("a falling")      
cens?re, census ("reckon")            census ("a reckoning")   
ducere, ductus ("lead")           ductus ("a leading")      
exire, exitus ("go out")           exitus ("a going out")   
labi, lapsus ("slip," "slide")     lapsus ("a slipping")      
sentire, sensus ("feel")          sensus ("a feeling")      
stare, status ("stand")         status ("a standing")      
trahere, tractus ("drag")         tractus ("a dragging")   
uti, usus ("use")                  usus ("a using")      
Jesus, meek and humble of heart, make my heart like unto Thine.

Fleur-de-Lys

#3
Quote from: Jayne on May 16, 2021, 12:05:40 PM
Probably most 4th declension nouns are from from the 4th principal part of a verb.

Indeed. As Smith notes:

Just as Latin could turn the neuter (-um) form of the perfect participle into a 2nd declension noun, so could it convert the masculine (-us) form into a regular 4th declension noun. There was originally a contrast between these two, in that the neuter noun was felt to be concrete and the masculine somewhat more abstract; but that contrast is often hard to discern in practice. These fourth declension nouns look exactly like the perfect participle—sensus, ductus, tractus, etc. They are quite numerous, and easy to identify.

Jayne

Quote from: Vetus Ordo on May 16, 2021, 10:07:18 AMCan anyone find a defectus of the 4th declension?

I checked my Cassell's and my Lewis and Short and both of them had entries for defectus as a fourth declension noun and as the participle of deficio.  I could not find any reference to it being second declension.

Ironically enough, it seems that your dictionary is defectus.
Jesus, meek and humble of heart, make my heart like unto Thine.

Insanis

Quote from: Jayne on May 16, 2021, 01:20:22 PM
I checked my Cassell's and my Lewis and Short and both of them had entries for defectus as a fourth declension noun and as the participle of deficio.  I could not find any reference to it being second declension.

I was curious what a dictionary I found said, so I looked it up, and it states:

Quote from: The Classic Dictionary, The Classic Latin Dictionary in Two Parts (Arthur Hinds & Company)

defector -oris, m (deficio), a rebel, deserter
1. defectus -a -um, particle of deficio
2. defectus -us, m. (deficio), a failing, ceasing, disappearing

Quote
Ironically enough, it seems that your dictionary is defectus.

All dictionaries are, so it isn't ironic. Just a coincidence that it is lacking on this particular word.

Incidentally, this old dictionary was in a pile of books I was planning on giving away, so if anybody wants it, and they are in the USA, I'll send it to them. It is old and doesn't have a date, but it is from a series of like dictionaries for English and various languages, all using classic sources. It seems carefully prepared and it has a lot of citations.


Vetus Ordo

Thank you all for your inputs.

Actually, it was not my dictionary that was at fault. It was me. I overlooked the entry.
DISPOSE OUR DAYS IN THY PEACE, AND COMMAND US TO BE DELIVERED FROM ETERNAL DAMNATION, AND TO BE NUMBERED IN THE FLOCK OF THINE ELECT.