When to express pronouns

[Ron]

As the pronouns are "built into" verbs, what determines when to use them? Take for instance the sentence: I love you. "Ego amo te" is the Latin translation always given, but I'm not sure why. Amo already says "I love" so why would the word Ego be added? Doesn't "Te amo" or "Amo te" say the same thing? Is there any rule for when or when not to express a pronoun?

[tkc-jmj]

Hi Ron-
I am so glad I am not the only one with this problem :)

I know that in translating whole paragraphs, I use a pronoun when it refers to a person/place/thing in the previous sentence, etc.

EXAMPLE:"Caesar came over the mountains into Gaul. He seized their cities."

The first sentence is clear. In the second sentence, their are two pronouns: "He" and "their." For he you would use "Id" to agree with Caesar, and for their you would use "Eos" to agree with Gaul. (I'm not guaranteed I'm right with my translations but I think I explained the gist of it)

I know when to translate pronouns when they are in whole paragraphs, because you just see if they refer to something previously, BUT in single sentences (like "ego amo te") I'm just as lost as you! I would love to find an explanation of that.

I hope this helps!
Sarah

PS If anybody finds any errors with what I just said, please let me know

[Mungo]

The tendency in Latin is to use personal pronouns in the nominative only for emphasis. Ego te amo would mean "I (and not another person) love you." Grammatically the ego is not necessary.

In the second sentence in the Caesar example, it would not be necessary to express the pronoun for he (is). So you would get Caesar trans montes in Galliam venit. Urbes eorum occupavit.

[mythopoeic]

Ego is frequently used when making a contrast or distinction. I usually translate it "As for me" to give the gist of it.

You don't need to express possessive adjectives or pronouns unless the possessor is not obvious. You would translate Caesar filium amat as Caesar loves his son, rather than Caesar loves the son, or a son, or Cato's son. You could write Caesar trans montes in Galliam venit. Urbes occupavit. without the pronoun.

[tkc-jmj]

Thanks for clearing things up a bit mythopoeic and Mungo. Along with reading your explanations on when to use pronouns, I just noticed I used the wrong words for my own examples! Oh well, humility is good for me :) Pronouns in latin have been tough so hopefully I'll get better.
Thanks again for the help!
Sarah