On the Confusion of the Terms dualis and communis in Cledonius

This article attempts to provide an interpretation of a passage on the noun number written by 5th-century grammarian Cledonius who composed lemmatised commentary Donatus’ Ars minor and maior. The discussed here is part explanation regarding categories in minor: Numerus, qui unum et plures demonstrat: communis est numerus, dualis dicitur apud Graecos, ut species facies res. (GL V 10. 19–20). Cledonius’ text confuses two terms communis, which normally signify different linguistic phenomena. Tim Denecker, whose covers history term Latin grammatical treatises, argues that this indicating pair equated communis. aim present work explain why these have been confused. When comparing Greek Latin, Roman grammarians Charisius, Diomedes, Priscian, Macrobius highlighted absence dual from whereas Donatus added it singular plural exemplifying with nomina — duo ambo. Having analysed all passages compared them original Donatus, one may notice did not make comments observations concerning In author’s view, opined language had no at all, so his juxtaposed both are opposed plural.