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Fabian Spieker's avatar

Thank you for those insights. I think 'modus operans' should be 'modus operandus' or operandi though, because it's not a participle, but a gerund.

Please apologize, I can't help it. In fact, I would've become a paid subscriber to do this, if comments were deactivated. :D I was gonna say a word or two about my latin teacher, but I get scared just thinking about him.

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Lee HammMX's avatar

Operandi is the genitive, I believe; as in 'of operation'.

I once used 'ad feminam' as a phrase, as the victim was a woman. Someone tried to mansplain me, with 'ad hominem', apparently without knowing Latin is a gendered language. My Latin teachers were more amiable than my English teachers. I fear all are now mortui...

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Fabian Spieker's avatar

Yes it's the genitive singular of the gerund (which is the same as the plural to take this one step further).

That teacher Mr. Riedell is long dead as well. I went to his funeral. Only teacher I was ever scared of. Only reason I still know these things. The best.

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