Trends in Latin are the starting point of the overall changes in the Romance languages. A number of trends in the phonetics and grammar, which originate in Late Latin, have systematically developed in Romanian language. All these innovations, specific to Romanian, have Latin characteristics. They are often strengthened by the influence of the local substrate. This could explain phenomena such as: stressed vowel u maintained in the suffix –ulus, -ula (Lat. Singulus > Rom. Singur); the reorganization of neuter gender; prepositional constructions in nominal flexion; genitive and dative homonymy; postposition of the definite article; the most important place of the first declension and conjugation in –a; analytical constructions in the cardinal numeral system; three-class adjective forms (bonus); ternary system of demonstrative adverbs (Rom. Aici-aci-acolo) etc. In this study, the author has shown through numerous examples how the inflectional ending –uri can be used in different regional variants of the Romanian language (vernacular language in north) and south (dialects) of the Danube. The main conclusion states that all areas react in the same way, using –uri as overall mark of the plural and not just as neuter. This similitude demonstrates not only the existence of a unitary Romanian language, but also the unity of all its regional variants.
Key words:
Trends in Latin grammar, desinence, dialectal variants, language unit
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