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- "Pater non est severus, sed b…
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Rare, maybe, but yes. https://frama.link/a-benign-person
https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/american_english/benign
For "the ability to use synonyms", it's already exist, it's the report button that add synonyms (not automatically, it takes times).
Report "severe" and "benign", I think it's possible they add them.
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Hmm. I said "Dad is not severe, but generous" and it was correct. I think you should have used but and not he is, as the literal translation is sed (but).
Has anybody thought about the possibility that a father can be strict and kind? Every time I see this question it makes me a little frustrated because the stereotypical father is either strict and "mean," or loving and kind. Fathers can be strict (in the sense of protective or disciplinary) and kind!
I'm inferring, from the lessons, a rule for the use of the Latin adjective "benign-": when modifying a nominative case noun, follow the noun's gender (use "benignus" or "benigna" as appropriate); when modifying an accusative case noun, use "benignum" regardless. Is this correct, and if so, can it be generalized to other noun? Thanks!
"Benignus, -a, -um" is what's called a "first/second declension adjective"
https://www.thoughtco.com/latin-adjectives-1st-and-2nd-declension-116719
When paired with feminine nouns (of any declension), they take first-declension endings, but when paired with masculine or neuter nouns (of any declension) they take second declension endings. They always agree with their nouns in gender, number, and case (the three dimensions of a Latin noun).
feminine
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feminine nominative: "Mater est benigna" -- "Mother is kind"
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feminine accusative: "Marcus matrem benignam habet" -- "Marcus has a kind mother" (note "-am", not "-um")
masculine
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masculine nominative -- "Pater est benignus" -- "Father is kind"
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masculine accusative -- "Marcus patrem benignum habet" -- "Marcus has a kind father"
neuter
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neuter nominative: "Carmen est bonum" -- "The song/poem is good"
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neuter accusative: "Marcus carmen bonum scribit" -- "Marcus is writing a good song/poem"
For neuter nouns and adjectives, the nominative forms and the accusative forms look like each other, so "carmen" (nominative) looks like "carmen" (accusative), and "bonum" (nominative) looks like "bonum" (accusative).