501 Latin Verbs (Barrons) [Paperback]

Richard E. Prior (Author), Joseph Wohlberg (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 1, 1995 | ISBN-10: 0812090500 | ISBN-13: 978-0812090505

Classical language students and teachers at all levels will value this textbook supplement. Regular, irregular, and defective verbs are each given a full page, with principle parts and complete conjugations.

Editorial Reviews

Review

These fully conjugated verbs will prove an essential reference for any studying Latin or English, presenting an alphabetical arrangement of verbs and indexing their forms and parts. Included are irregular, regular and defective verbs as well we usage notes. -- Midwest Book Review

Language Notes

Text: English, Latin

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Product Details

• Paperback: 600 pages
• Publisher: Barron's Educational Series (May 1, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0812090500
• ISBN-13: 978-0812090505
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 6 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (36 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #676,972 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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38 of 38 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Thorough Reference Tool for the Learner of Latin, September 28, 2002

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T. B. Vick "T.B.V." - See all my reviews
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This review is from: 501 Latin Verbs (Barrons) (Paperback)

Barron's has always produced some good academic tools (they are best known for their standardized test aids), and this work is no exception. As the title read, there are 501 Latin verbs, fully conjugated in every tense. This, of course makes for a great reference tool for anyone who is studying Latin, or translating Latin, and is having a tough time trying to find (or learn) the correct conjugation of a verb.

There is also a nice intro to this volume explaining certain things about Latin verbs, and this same introduction includes charts for English verb conjugations. The book is formatted like a dictionary, in alphabetical order, and each verb is listed with its conjugated form thoroughly described/demonstrated. 501 verbs may be limited but not too many students of Latin (who are perhaps simply trying to finish their languages in school) will use this many verbs, so in that sense 501 is enough. However, for the scholar of Latin, perhaps more might be needed. Nonetheless, the book serves it purpose well with the verbs that were included.

There are several appendices in the back which include an Index of English-Latin verbs, verb form locator, and Latin verb index. Each of these give added aid to the student and user of this volume. Overall, this is a great volume, and has been a big help for me in my past studies of the Latin language.

35 of 36 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars When 201 Verbs is not enough..., June 8, 2004

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FrKurt Messick "FrKurt Messick" (Bloomington, IN USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: 501 Latin Verbs (Barrons) (Paperback)

The first year I studied Latin (using an early edition of Wheelock) I used the 201 Latin Verbs text, part of the same educational series as the 501 verbs series from Barrons. This book has more substance than that earlier volume, not merely from the 300 additional verbs, but also from additions to the text's introduction. Richard Prior (not the comedian) took the contributions of Joseph Wohlberg (whose 201 Latin Verbs I also own) and expanded and revised those with his own additions for this text.

This is at heart the most basic of basic books. Each of the numbered pages 1-501 has one verb laid out in all its tenses, voices, moods, persons and numbers. The pages are laid out with Active Voice on the left (the most common voice found in Latin writing), and Passive Voice on the right. The page is broken into Mood - these include Indicative (the most direct form of address), Subjunctive, Imperative, and Infinitive. The verb tenses in each of these subsections is laid out in first, second and third person, singular and plural, in a chart. . The bottom of each page lists the participle forms, forms of verbs used as modifiers. There are also alternative forms of the verb, compound and related words, sample sentences showing context - these are not 'fake' sentences, but give the sources (Cicero, Horace, etc.). Each page has one verb dedicated to it.

As Prior indicates, the series by Barrons has the limit of 501 verbs (an arbitrary but useful number) - but, in fact, since there are patterns for verbs (called conjugations), knowing one is often knowing them all; the exceptions to these rules for the various conjugations are certainly included, as are the strange verbs (sum, esse, to be, which ends up being strange in every language, and many others like eo, ire, to go).

Some verbs are not fully developed - the authors explain that while there are theoretical constructs of verbs, sometimes we have no evidence that such tenses or constructions were ever used, and so these are omitted. Also, there are lots of verbs whose construction parallels each other precisely (many verbs are formed from prefixes being attached, much as languages like German also do); these verbs are parenthetically linked to other, similar verbs.

There is an English-Latin index, and a Latin-English index at the end of the book. These indexes are handy, as is the Verb Form locator at the end. The word selection comes from frequency counts of verbs on Latin exams of the New York State Regents and other College Board entrance and/or placement examinations.

There are few additions here - little grammar, no pronunciation, nothing by way of history. This is simply what it purports to be - a book of verbs. In that, it is very useful, and as I studied Latin beyond the first year, an invaluable aid.

75 of 90 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars the compiler answers criticisms..., January 15, 2001

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Richard E. Prior (Greenville, SC USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: 501 Latin Verbs (Barrons) (Paperback)

Here are some answers to questions posed in customer reviews: - Why stop at 501? That's the cap on the series. Check the other languages. Besides, how many 1st conjugation verbs do you need to learn endings? The base changes, the endings are the same. The important weirdos are in there. -As for "doubtful scholarship", try reading the intro. The inclusion of unattested forms for the sake of a pattern is no great sin when the intended audience is students of the language, not pedants (i.e. classicists). (By the way, "and, moreover" is redundant. We call it English. Look into it.) Nevertheless, I'll see about square bracketing the unattested forms next edition. Thanks for the tip. -Another one whose knowledge of the language is so immense that s/he bought a book geared for tyros laments the lack of ALL verb forms. Well, the so called "future imperative" doesn't exist. It's nothing more than an archaic inflection. Consider your vast linguistic training, examine the testaments, and you'll see. Archaic forms (short of the Duenos Vase) are indexed. Advise me of lacunae for the next edition. Concerning future infinitives, I considered including this constructed form, but for 99% of the verbs, it would be unattested! (Gods forfend -- see above.) -The cover art is atrocious. I admit I suggested a signum. The other books of the series have flags. Any better suggestions? -The the mere fact that this book is intended for students in the early stages of learning in no way cheapens the product. Was the reviewer who wrote that a native speaker?!! We all start somewhere. How about some humility? -Finally, send suggestions and constructive criticisms to me directly for the next edition at: [e-mail]. Pedantic posing is useless and therefore not welcome. -I gave this 4 stars because there's always room for improvement. Sock it to me!