SIDSPACE

SIDSPACE is an acronym or mnemonic used in teaching Latin to help students remember which prepositions take the ablative case. By some, SIDSPACE is playfully known as the ablative astronaut.

SIDSPACE stands for the following prepositions: sub, in, de, sine, pro, ab, cum, and ex. [http://www.gsgis.k12.va.us/facultyweb/cbroeniman/webpages/latin1_files/ablativeWorksheet.doc Ablative case review] , Clifford Broeniman, Latin 1, Maggie L. Walker Governor's School for Government and International Studies. Accessed on line December 23, 2007.] [http://schoolsite.capturepoint.com/assets/resources/Latin%20I%20Obj.pdf Ridgewood High School Latin I Curriculum- 12/05] . Accessed on line December 23, 2007.] Although not all of these words take the ablative case in every context, all of them do take it some of the time. For example, 'in' takes the ablative case when expressing location, as in "He is in Italy," but takes the accusative case when it is expressing motion, such as "He went into Italy."

The mnemonic omits some of the less common prepositions, which are included in the rhyme:

:"A", "ab", "absque", "coram", "de",:"palam", "clam", "cum", "ex" or "e",:"sine", "tenus", "pro" and "prae".:"Sub", "subter", "super", "in" beside:when state not motion is implied.

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