# homo simili / homo similis



## Vbrochot

Bonjour,

Je n'ai aucune connaissance en latin et j'ai donc besoin d'aide pour faire la différence entre *homo simili* et *homo similis*.

D'avance merci à ceux qui prendront le temps de m'expliquer.


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## metaphrastes

Bonjour. I am not an expert in Latin, but I think probably some context might help. _Simili _and _similis _are both inflexions of the same word, and the different ending simply indicates they have different functions, grammatically speaking.

_Similis _means _similar, like, resembling. _The form _simili _is either in dative or in ablative singular - that is, it means they have a particular grammatical function.

In the case of standard expressions, such as _homo sapiens_, isolated from the context of a Latin text, the elements are generally used in Nominative (the case of a noun) or cases are used to point grammar relations within the expression, such as _Mater Dei _(the ending in _Dei _indicates it is genitive, then, _Mother of God, God's Mother_).

In the examples you gave, my impression is that the different case in _simili _is related with the rest of the phrase, not with _homo _(that means _man, _regardless of gender). But let us wait for more knowledgeable people to come on.


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## Vbrochot

Wow, thanks.

I searched on Google but couldn't really understand and now, thanks to you, it's clear in my mind.


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## jazyk

metaphrastes said:


> In the examples you gave, my impression is that the different case in _simili _is related with the rest of the phrase, not with _homo _(that means _man, _regardless of gender). But let us wait for more knowledgeable people to come on.


Exactemente. En analysant seulement le rapport entre ces deux mots:

Homo similis  - "personne similaire", both words are in the nominative/vocative singular.
Homo simili - pas d'accord, homo est nominatif/vocatif singulier, simili est datif/ablatif singulier. Pour le datif singulier, on dit homin*i* simil*i*. Pour l'ablatif singulier, on dit homin*e* simil*i*.

Si ton intention est le nominatif/vocatif/accusatif pluriel, alors c'est homin*es* simil*es*.


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## Vbrochot

Merci @jazyk.

Cela devient de plus en plus clair.

Si je peux me permettre, pourrais-tu me donner ton avis sur la conversation suivante : absimilis / dissimilis

D'avance merci.


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## jazyk

Je ne pourrais rien ajouter à l'excellente explication de Metaphrases sur absimilis/dissimilis.


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## Vbrochot

Merci.


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