# First conjugation a or ae



## Marcius Sanctus

Hi, friends, I am just a new student of this language, and when I began to study the declinations I had a doubt, and if you can help me, I will be grateful.

The first declination says:

*Singular                                           Plural*

_Cart_*a                                                    *_cart_*e*
_Cart_*a                                                    *_cart_*e*
_Cart_*am                                                 *_cart_*as*
_Cart_*e                                                    *_cart_*arum*
_Cart_*e                                                    *_cart_*is*
_Cart_*a                                                    *_cart_*is*


But I also have seen the first conjungation in this way:




*1st    DECLINATION*
F* / a/ae*
SINGULAR
PLURAL
NOMINATIVO
fabul*a*
fabul*ae*
VOCATIVO
fabul*a*
fabul*ae*
ACUSATIVO
fabul*am*
fabul*as*
GENITIVO
fabul*ae*
fabul*arum*
DATIVO
Fabul*ae/e*
fabul*is*
ABLATIVO
fabul*a*
fabul*is*




As a matter of fact, as you can see my doubt is... why there is an *ae* in the second table, instead of *e* showed in the first one? Does this have to do with the pronunciation? It is an *ae *or *e*?

I hope you can understand my English and my doubt in Latin, I am just a beginner.


Thanks a lot.


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## Cagey

The second table (fabula) is the one you should study for classical Latin.  

I don't recognize the first one.  Where did you see it?  Please give the name of your source.  It may be the declension for Latin of later period, such as Medieval Latin, or somewhere in the evolution of a modern Romance language.


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## Marcius Sanctus

Yes, I think so. I found in this website. 

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/latin/beginners/lesson02/lesson0202.htm


And another thing, as I know that you also study or studied Latin, do you recommend a website for studying Latin? 

Thanks.


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## Maioneselover

What you'll learn is Latin with pronununciatio restituta, so the correct table is the second.
In this pronounce, you'll read "rosae" without or with a slight diphtong.
While, the ecclesiastical one is closer to the Italian pronunciation, so I read "rosae" as "rose".
However, we should still write "rosae". It's an error simply.


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## CapnPrep

Maioneselover said:


> It's an error simply.


It is not an error; it is a deliberate choice. The (very well-done) website that marcio dos santos linked to identifies itself as "a beginners' guide to the Latin used in documents *between 1086 and 1733*" (emphasis mine). They address the ‹ae›/‹e› issue here:


> The ‘ae’ spelling was used in the Classical period, but later lapsed. It was taken up again in the Tudor and Stuart period.
> Be aware that in documents from the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries,  you will find words that are spelt with an ‘ae’ instead of an ‘e’.
> Remember this when you are using the word list, where ‘ae’ forms are *not* given.


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## Kevin Beach

CapnPrep said:


> It is not an error; it is a deliberate choice. The (very well-done) website that marcio dos santos linked to identifies itself as "a beginners' guide to the Latin used in documents *between 1086 and 1733*" (emphasis mine). They address the ‹ae›/‹e› issue here:



Well spotted CapnPrep. The page misled me at first. I have emailed the National Archives suggesting that they make it plain on every page that they are discussing Mediaeval Latin and not Classical Latin. Otherwise, a student landing on any page except the first could be misled into assuming that they can rely on the information for Classical Latin.


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## Marcius Sanctus

Thank you all, friends. I really have to be aware of ae and e, I think that for begginners it is confused.

Thank you all.


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## Kevin Beach

The Advice and Records Knowledge Editor at National Archives has emailed me to say "Your suggestion that we make it clearer that we are discussing Medieval Latin and not Classical Latin is much appreciated and makes good sense. We intend to make this change and hope that it will be visible on our website within the next seven days".

So Marcio dos Santos' query has resulted in a change to a British government website!


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