SFL Download Quizzes (especially #2)

[Naxi]

I have noticed that some of the SFL download quizzes are different from those in the Quizzes and Tests book (and consequently from the answers guide.) So far I have noticed Quiz 2 and Quiz 3.

I am working through SFL myself (my eldest DS is polishing off FFL), and I would like some assistance with some translations, please. I realise that I do not need to allocate these, as they are not in the quiz book, but I attempted them anyway and need some assistance.

The first is:

Pueri agrum errant. The boys wander the field.

Is that the correct English translation? It just feels a bit clunky to me. Of course, I do realise SFL is still early days! That is why I wanted to check.

The second is:

Agricolae duo mensam parant.

I am a little confused. I know that word order is not set in stone in Latin. Is "duo" modifiying "agricolae"? It can't be "mensam" as that is singular.

I know these are probably quite simple little things, but I just wanted to make sure I had a handle on matters.

Thank you.

[pickandgrin]

Naxi
Greetings!

For Agricolae duo mensam parant, yes, duo is modifying agricolae. It's not taught until Third Form L. 13, but the cardinal number duo is a declinable adjective and the masculine plural nominative form is "duo." Good catch on ruling mensam out!

The differences you mention make me wonder if you are working from different SF editions? Depending on how long you've had your texts, that may be the issue. The Second Editions are 2021 copyright dates and have the updated format like Second Edition First Form with more modeled/forced parsing. Do you have the old Key and the new quiz downloads?

[Jon Christianson]

Hello,

In agreement with pickandgrin, you very likely have an older edition of the books. Our switch to second edition was quite recent, so unless you've purchased the key in the last year there's likely a mismatch. If you're interested in getting the up-to-date second edition key, I believe we can offer that at a discount - I encourage you to get in touch with our sales folks by phone if that interests you. You may want to get in touch with them anyway, since they can look at any orders you've made in the past and figure out if it's something more complicated than a mere out-of-date book.

You're right that the first sentence you bring up is a bit clunky. In classical Latin, erro is only very rarely transitive (i.e. very rarely takes a direct object) and can usually be treated as intransitive for simplicity's sake. Wandering is something you do, not something you do to something else. However, Henle treats it as transitive, so we do too, permitting us to use the somewhat more wistful English construction "to wander a place," which sounds okay in a general and plural context ("He wandered the streets alone.") but less so in a specific or singular context, such as here. In this case, though, awkward doesn't qualify as wrong!

- Jon

[Naxi]

I have had a look and you are right. I do have the first edition. The electronic file of the quizzes is the second edition. It is a little annoying (nobody's fault - just me whining). I bought it via Rainbow Resource at the end of April. I guess this means when my eldest starts SFL around February I will need to get a whole new answer key as well as the student book. Is the text still compatible?

Does the second edition have the boxes for parsing the translations? I have to admit, I found it a bit of a jump to go from those in FFL to doing a straight translation in SFL.

Also, are there any plans to update Third Form Latin? I am putting together my list for our next big curriculum shop and I would prefer not to get caught out again.

[Jon Christianson]

The Student Text is essentially identical between editions. Short of any typographical errors that were fixed between editions, the content changes were entirely in the way students study, practice, and assess - not the content of the lessons themselves.

SFL Second Edition does have parsing boxes. Whereas, we plan for Third Form to remain as it is. The new editions of First and Second Form serve to fill a pedagogical gap that doesn't (or shouldn't) persist into Third Form and beyond. The parsing process, for example, should be well internalized by Third Form, and should not require the same explicit treatment we've included in First and Second Form Latin's new editions.

- Jon