absonus

Pronunciation

• Classical: [ˈap.sɔ.nʊs]^[1]
• Ecclesiastical: [ˈab.so.nus]^[1]

Forms

absonus (feminine absona, neuter absonum); first/second-declension adjective^[1]

Etymology

It is from Latin ab- (“away from”) + sonus (“sound”).^[2][3][1] The TLL derives it from ⟨ab⟩ and sonō (“to sound”).^[4] It is also spelled ⟨apsonus⟩.^[2]

Earliest recorded meaning

Köbler's first source is Cicero,^[3] who in the De oratore says that some men have voices so harsh that they can never be counted among the orators.^[2][5]

Semantic evolution

From an unpleasant or out-of-tune sound it passed to whatever jars: Quintilian counts as true wit that in which nothing jarring or rustic can be found.^[2] With the dative or with ⟨ab⟩ it means out of keeping with something;^[2][5] Horace speaks of words out of keeping with the speaker's fortunes.^[2][5] Lucretius uses it of roofs that look askew.^[2]

Medieval writers kept the musical sense of a dissonant note,^[6] and used it of what is contrary to reason; a glossary also explains it as soundless, a man without a voice.^[7][6]

Timeline

• 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of harsh voices; his contemporary Lucretius of roofs seen askew.^[2][3]
• 65–8 BC – Horace uses it of words that do not suit the speaker.^[2][3]
• c. 35–95/96 AD – Quintilian uses it of what jars in wit.^[2][3]

Meanings

Adjective

1. Of unpleasant sound, harsh, discordant.^[2][5]
2. Jarring, in bad taste.^[2]
3. (with dative or ab) Not in keeping with, inconsistent, incongruous.^[2][5][8]
4. Askew, awry.^[2]
5. (Medieval Latin) Contrary to reason.^[7]
6. (Medieval Latin) Soundless, mute.^[7][6]

Word family

• absonō

Related words

• dissonus

References

1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
3. ^ a b c d e Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
4. ^ Thesaurus linguae Latinae (1900–), Leipzig: Teubner; Berlin: De Gruyter; open-access ed., Munich: Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
5. ^ a b c d e Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
6. ^ a b c Mittellateinisches Wörterbuch bis zum ausgehenden 13. Jahrhundert (1967–), Munich: C. H. Beck; Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
7. ^ a b c Latham, R. E., D. R. Howlett, R. K. Ashdowne, et al. (1975–2013), Dictionary of Medieval Latin from British Sources, London: British Academy / Oxford University Press
8. ^ Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson