Editing: Genitive of Value/Price in Latin

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# 1. Essentials at a Glance
The **Genitive of Value/Price (Genitivus Pretiī)** is a specialized use of the genitive case in Latin that expresses how highly or lowly something is regarded. Instead of quoting a specific price, Latin uses set genitive forms—such as **magnī**, **plūris**, **nihilī**—to indicate subjective worth or esteem. Mastery of this construction helps learners understand nuanced evaluations in classical texts and distinguish it from the **ablative of price** used for definite monetary sums.

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# 2. Definition & Importance
In **Latin grammar**, the **Genitive of Value/Price** denotes **indefinite or subjective worth** rather than a fixed cost. Expressions like **magnī faciō** (“I value greatly”) or **nihilī pendō** (“I consider worthless”) illustrate **Latin Genitive of Value examples** in real contexts. This construction is pivotal for reading comprehension, as authors from Plautus to Cicero and beyond use it to convey nuanced judgments—an integral element of **Latin syntax** that distinguishes literal price (ablative) from **value-based** estimation (genitive).

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# 3. Forms & Morphology
The most common **genitive of value** forms are either:
- **Neuter genitive adjectives** indicating degree (e.g., *magnī*, *parvī*, *plūris*, *tantī*).
- **Genitive nouns** (often trivial objects or small coins) indicating low or negligible worth (e.g., *nihilī*, *floccī*, *pilī*).

Below is a brief reference table:

| **Genitive Form** | **Base Word**               | **Meaning**           | **Typical Usage**                |
|-------------------|-----------------------------|-----------------------|----------------------------------|
| **magnī**         | *magnus, -a, -um*          | “of great value”      | *magnī aestimāre* (value highly) |
| **parvī**         | *parvus, -a, -um*          | “of little value”     | *parvī pendere* (esteem lightly) |
| **plūris**        | *plūs* (comparative)       | “of more value”       | *plūris est* (it’s worth more)   |
| **minōris**       | *minor* (comparative)      | “of less value”       | *minōris facere* (value less)    |
| **tantī**         | *tantus, -a, -um*          | “of so much value”    | *tantī est* (it’s worth that much) |
| **quantī**        | *quantus, -a, -um*         | “of what value?”      | *quantī emistī?* (for how much?) |
| **nihilī**        | *nihilum* (“nothing”)      | “worth nothing”       | *nihilī faciō* (consider worthless) |
| **floccī**        | *floccus* (“tuft of wool”)  | “worth a straw”       | *floccī nōn faciō* (don’t care)  |
| **pilī**          | *pilus* (“hair”)           | “worth a hair”        | *pilī putāre* (reckon negligible) |
| **assis**         | *ās, assis* (small coin)   | “worth a penny”       | *nōn assis faciō* (no value)     |

All remain **genitive singular** even if the thing valued is plural, because they are idiomatic expressions of worth (often elliptically referencing *pretium*, “price”).

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# 4. Usage & Examples
**When Used**  
- **Verbs of valuation** (e.g., *aestimāre, pendere, facere, putāre, dūcere*).  
- **Impersonal expressions** (*interest, rēfert*: *mea magnī interest* — “it matters greatly to me”).  
- **Predicate with *esse***: *tantī est* — “it is of such worth.”

**Classical Latin Examples**  
1. **“Nōn floccī faciō.”**  
   - *Literal Meaning:* “I do not value [it] at a tuft of wool.”  
   - *Sense:* “I don’t care at all.”

2. **“Illud parvī rēfert.”**  
   - *Literal Meaning:* “That matters little.”  
   - *Sense:* Conveys minor importance.

3. **“Quantī hunc librum emistī?”**  
   - *Literal Meaning:* “For how much did you buy this book?”  
   - *Sense:* *quantī* (gen.) asks an indefinite price.

4. **“Est mihi tantī hanc invidiam subīre.”**  
   - *Literal Meaning:* “It is worth that much to me to endure this hostility.”  
   - *Sense:* The speaker deems the sacrifice justified.

5. **“Virtūtem plūris aestimāmus quam dīvitiās.”**  
   - *Literal Meaning:* “We value virtue more than riches.”  
   - *Sense:* *plūris* (gen.) signals higher worth.

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# 5. Common Pitfalls
- **Confusing with Ablative of Price:** Use the **ablative** (e.g., *māgnō, decem dēnāriīs*) for specific sums; the **genitive** (e.g., *magnī, tantī*) for indefinite or subjective evaluation.  
- **Misidentifying the Genitive:** *magnī* and *parvī* might look like adverbs. Remember they serve as genitives of worth, not simple modifiers.  
- **Overgeneralizing:** Not all adjectives work. Only certain value-related adjectives/nouns (*plūris, nihilī, floccī*) appear in this idiom.  
- **Forgetting it’s Invariable:** Even with plural subjects, forms like *magnī, parvī* stay singular.  
- **Missing Idiomatic Flavor:** Expressions like *floccī faciō* are colloquial. Differentiate their tone from more formal variants (*nihilī aestimō*).

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# 6. Additional Notes & Nuances
Latin’s **Genitive of Value** often indicates a subjective stance: “**est mihi tantī**” can imply “it’s worthwhile (for me).” Classical authors exploit this to discuss honor, sacrifices, or scorn.  
Historically, grammarians debated whether it should be treated under “**Genitive of Quality**.” Modern texts usually give it a separate heading for clarity.  
Watch for **comparatives** (*plūris, minōris*) in comparisons: “**plūris quam** cēterī” = “at a higher value than others.”  
Colloquial forms (*floccī, pilī, assis*) appear often in comedy and letters to convey scorn or indifference.  
Expressions with *interest* or *rēfert* add nuance: “**mea magnī interest**” = “it is of great importance to me” (two genitives in one phrase).

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# 7. Key Takeaways
- **Genitive of Value** = indefinite or subjective worth (“how much is it esteemed?”).  
- **Fixed vocabulary set** (e.g., *tantī, quantī, plūris, nihilī*) used with **valuation verbs**.  
- **Different from Ablative of Price:** genitive = “worth,” ablative = “for X amount.”  
- **Idiom-rich area**: *floccī faciō, nihilī pendō, bonī cōnsulere.*  
- **Stay alert to context**: these genitives often appear in predicate position with *esse* or *interest*.

Document Structure

H11. Essentials at a Glance
H12. Definition & Importance
H13. Forms & Morphology
H14. Usage & Examples
H15. Common Pitfalls
H16. Additional Notes & Nuances
H17. Key Takeaways

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