Inexactness in Latin

[Imber Ranae]

And even without the preposition, malo esse (or any other verb) X quam (esse (or other v.)) Y, Y can't just be an ablative. It just doesn't make sense.

In that particular case I don't see why not, on a purely syntactic level. With quam you can connect two prepositional phrases with locational meanings, or even two locatives, or one with the other: Romae/in urbe cum amicis esse quam ruri/in agris tecum malo "I'd rather be in Rome/the city with friends than in the countryside with you".

But this is with quam, of course, not the ablative alone. Maybe I've misunderstood you.

This one is nice too (but personally I find it less intricate than the buffalo one): "James while John had had had had had had had had had had had a better effect on the teacher".

English is weird.

 

[Pacifica]

In that particular case I don't see why not, on a purely syntactic level. With quam you can connect two prepositional phrases with locational meanings, or even two locatives, or one with the other: Romae/in urbe cum amicis esse quam ruri/in agris tecum malo "I'd rather be in Rome/the city with friends than in the countryside with you".

But this is with quam, of course, not the ablative alone. Maybe I've misunderstood you.

Yes, I was talking about ablative of comparison, instead of quam.

 

[Imber Ranae]

I have found one example with a verb: nullos his mallem ludos spectasse (Hor.s.2.8.79). But still not sure it can do for malo esse X quam esse Y.

So I suppose this works:

Bonum malum comesse malo malo malo.​

I'd rather eat a good apple than a bad apple.​

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ETA: but probably not bonō mālō malō mālō mālō vescī for the same reasons as stated above.

 

[Pacifica]

After the last example I've found, yes I think it does.

 

[Imber Ranae]

Even better:

In mala malo bono malo vesci quam in bona malo malo malo malo.​

I'd rather eat a good apple in a bad apple tree than a bad apple in a good one.​

 

[Pacifica]

Even better:

In mala malo bono malo vesci quam in bona malo malo malo malo.​

I'd rather eat a good apple in a bad apple tree than a bad apple in a good one.​

Brilliant!

 

[Imber Ranae]

Brilliant!

Thanks. I have too much time on my hands...

 

[Pacifica]

Like me then.

 

[Iohannes Aurum]

English can lack exactness at times:

English is a weird language.

Yes, I have Photoshopped the image by taking an image of the Buffalo, NY skyline and placed it behind the mountains.