Use of Correlatives

Use of Correlatives in Subordinate Clauses

Subordinate clauses are often co-ordinated or aligned with the grammar of the principal clause by the use of demonstrative words that serve to clarify the standing of the subordinate clause. Relative adjectives may be anticipated by demonstratives: is … quī, ‘that man … who’; clauses of result are regularly anticipated by demonstrative adjectives (tantus, talis) or adverbs (ita, tam):

Note that there is a similar co-ordination between demonstrative adjectives and relative adjectives, often formed on the same stem: tantus ➝ quantus (‘as many as’), tot ➝ quot (‘as many as’), tālis ➝ quālis (‘such as’); so also the adverbs tam ➝ quam (‘as … as …’):

In English the repetition of ‘the’ in comparative phrases (such as ‘the more the merrier’) is actually a correlative adverb (an old instrumental form meaning ‘by that much’): literally, ‘by that much more, by that much merrier’. In Latin this must be rendered by tantō (‘by that much’) … quantō (‘by so much’) or by eō … quō … ; these are instrumental ablatives expressing the degree of comparison: