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There's something special about the Latin words alumnus 'nursling' and fēmina 'woman'.
Though from different roots, the two words are in fact fossilised middle participles, formed through the affix *-mh₁no-. These were productive in Ancient Greek, but left only traces in Latin.
Though from different roots, the two words are in fact fossilised middle participles, formed through the affix *-mh₁no-. These were productive in Ancient Greek, but left only traces in Latin.
"Middle" here refers to the grammatical voice, something between the active and passive.
For example, alumnus (from the same root as almus 'nourishing') once meant 'the being-nourished one'.
Along with alumnus and fēmina, calumnia 'trickery' could be another ex-participle.
For example, alumnus (from the same root as almus 'nourishing') once meant 'the being-nourished one'.
Along with alumnus and fēmina, calumnia 'trickery' could be another ex-participle.
This middle-voice affix *-mh₁no- has also been suggested to be the origin of the strange second-person plural passive ending in Latin, -minī.
-minī is an oddity - as you can see here, it's the only passive ending that doesn't build on its active counterpart with the help of -r.
-minī is an oddity - as you can see here, it's the only passive ending that doesn't build on its active counterpart with the help of -r.
