1. Unit 16: Pronouns: Demonstratives – Hic and Ille
Notes 16.1

2. Learning Goals: By the end of the lesson students will be able to:
Understand what a pronoun is.
Recognize and decline the demonstrative pronoun hic, haec, hoc.
Translate words, phrases, and sentences using hic, haec, hoc.

3. What is a pronoun?
A pronoun is a word that is used to replace a previously stated noun.
Pronouns are useful so that you don’t have to repeat the noun it replaces again and again.
How does this “story” sound to you?
I really don’t like my math teacher! The teacher is very knowledgeable, but the teacher is really mean. The teacher has a terrible temper and the teacher loves to yell at us when we don’t get the right answers. The teacher called my mom just because the teacher had told me to read something but I didn’t hear the teacher.

4. That story needs help, don’t you think?
Let’s try that again and use some pronouns:
I really don’t like my math teacher! He is very knowledgeable, but the he is really mean. He has a terrible temper and he loves to yell at us when we don’t get the right answers. He called my mom just because he had told me to read something but I didn’t hear him.
While this story may not be a candidate for any literary awards, the second version is definitely an improvement, but why is this?
Because replacing the over-used word “teacher” with a pronoun smoothed it out.

5. The Pronoun
The pronouns I used to fix that story, he, him, are called personal pronouns because they specifically refer to a person.
Latin has personal pronouns which we will be learning in Unit 17, but they are just the tip of the pronoun iceberg!
Demonstratives can actually act as both pronouns and adjectives. Today we will look at their pronoun side.

6. The Demonstrative in English
In English, the basic demonstratives are this, that, these, and those.
Examples:
That’s what I said!
I heard that!
Have you seen this?
This is a nightmare!
These are delicious, but those are terrible.

7. The Demonstrative in Latin
The English words this and these are the words hic, haec, hoc in Latin.
What do you notice about this unusual word?
There are 3 forms of the word.
hic is masculine
haec is feminine
hoc is neuter
They may look and sound a bit odd, but they are really common so memorize them carefully!

8. Hic, haec, hoc declined: Sg. Pl. Nom. Gen. Dat. Acc. Abl. hic haec hocf. n.
Nom.
Gen.
Dat.
Acc.
Abl.
hic
haec
hoc hi
hae
haec
huius
huius
huius
horum
harum
horum
huic
huic
huic
his
his
his
hunc
hanc
hoc
hos
has
haec
hōc
hāc
hōc
his
his
his
Notice that there is no vocative. This word doesn’t occur in the vocative case.

9. hic used as a pronoun:
It’s important to remember that hic is both a pronoun and an adjective.
When used independently (there is no noun for it to modify) it means he, she, it.
It came to mean this in the manner of a substantive: this man (m) = he; this woman (f) = she; this thing (n) = it

10. Examples:
The following sentences use pronouns that would be translated into Latin using hic:
I have seen him before.
I gave the money to her on the train.
The boy picked it up from the ground.
He is the general assigned by Caesar.
It is the very thing I wanted.
These examples show words that are being very specific…they are pointing out something the writer or speaker wants to be sure we understand in the context.

11. Something to note:
Demonstrative pronouns are used only when the speaker or writer is being very specific.
They are not used every time 3rd person is used… most of the time the verb ending is sufficient.
Which of the following do you think would use hic, haec, hoc?
He is walking to the fields.
He is the one I was telling you about!
They walked home.
We called to speak to him.
There doesn’t seem to be a need for the emphasis here.
Can you feel the emphatic attitude?
There doesn’t seem to be a need for the emphasis here.
Can you feel the emphatic attitude?

12. Let’s see them at work: Translate the following:
Hoc erit difficilis vobis. (vobis = for you)
This will be difficult for you.
Hi Romanis de rē dixerunt.
They spoke to the Romans about the matter.
In agris hos vidi.
I saw them in the fields.
Hae sunt amicae meae.
They are my friends.

13. My level of understanding Check for understanding
Quid agis? How are you doing?
My level of understanding
Check for understanding 4
I understand the demonstrative hic, haec, hoc as a concept; I can recognize the demonstrative hic, haec, hoc in Latin and in English when I see it; AND I can decline and translate any noun in the demonstrative hic, haec, hoc without my notes. 3
I understand demonstrative hic, haec, hoc as a concept; I can recognize demonstrative hic, haec, hoc in Latin and in English when I see it; AND I can decline and translate any noun in the demonstrative hic, haec, hoc with my notes. 2
I understand the demonstrative hic, haec, hoc as a concept; AND I can recognize the demonstrative hic, haec, hoc in Latin and in English when I see it. 1
I understand the demonstrative hic, haec, hoc as a concept.

14. Class Practice 16.1
I. Write the correct form of hic, haec, hoc to translate the
underlined word. Choose the cases carefully!
Where have I seen her before?
We haven’t spoken to them in a long time.
I need to think about this.
What is the meaning of this?
II. Translate the following sentences.
Puer has amat!
Vir haec dicit. (Hint: haec is neuter)