Doctor Angelicus 31

About "dicendum".

This latin word is used a lot of time by Thomas, in particular in the Summa Theologica.

It is used in two formal expressions, 1. as introducing the main answer to a question: "Respondeo dicendum quod ..." and 2. as introducing the reply to an objection, e.g. "Ad primum dicendum quod ...".

The meanings are clear, but grammatically there is a little problem.

"Dicendum" can be the accusative gerund of "dico". The gerund forms are the declension of the infinitive used as noun; hence, here, "dicendum" means "the saying" when this last is a direct complement. Hence, I think that, purely,  "Respondeo dicendum quod ..." must be thought as "I reply the saying that..."

Now "dicendum" can also be an inflexion of the participle "dicendus, a, um" which means "which is to be said". Hence, I think that, purely, "Ad primum dicendum quod ..." must be thought as "To the first (objection) it is to be said that ..." assuming that there is an "est" omitted: "Ad primum dicendum est quod ..."

But all these considerations are of classical latin domain. At Thomas' time, the practice of writing latin had evolved in many grammatical points, and consequently the above analysis probably doesn't match what was in the mind of Thomas and of all who read the Summa since Thomas.

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