Etymologically
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alter

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Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [ˈaɫ.tɛr][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈal.ter][1]

Forms

alter (feminine altera, neuter alterum); first/second-declension determiner (nominative masculine singular in -er, pronominal declension)[1]

Etymology

It is inherited from Proto-Italic *al-tero- (“the other”), inherited from Proto-Indo-European *h₂el-tero- (“the other of two”), with the contrastive suffix also seen in Ancient Greek ἕτερος (héteros, “other”).[2][3] Many scholars reconstruct *ali-tero-, but de Vaan, following Ernout and Meillet, prefers *h₂el-tero-, since *h₂elio-tero- would not have lost its second syllable.[2] It belongs with alius “other”.[2][4] Cognate with Oscan alttram (“other (accusative feminine)”).[2][4]

Earliest recorded meaning

De Vaan and Köbler give Naevius first.[2][5] Köbler dates Naevius c. 235–200 BC.[5]

Semantic evolution

It meant a second or further one, another person or thing, and someone other than oneself; in negative phrases it was anyone else.[3] Above all it was one of two: alter … alter was “the one … the other”, and ūnus et alter “one or two, a few”.[3] It could also refer loosely to another member of a larger group.[3]

In medieval Latin it also meant every other, alternate, and alterā diē was the other day.[6] It survives in Italian altro, Spanish otro and French autrui.[1] Medieval Latin alterāre “to change” gave English alter in the late 14th century.[7]

Timeline

  • c. 235–200 BC – Naevius uses the word.[2][5]
  • c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it of two sisters, one and the other.[3][5]
  • Middle Ages – alterāre “to change” is formed from it.[7]
  • late 14th century – English alter is recorded.[7]

Meanings

Determiner

  1. A second, a further, another.[3]
  2. The other (of two), alter … alter, the one … the other.[3][1]
  3. Another person, someone else, (in negatives) anyone else.[3]
  4. ūnus et alter, one or two, a few.[3]
  5. (Medieval Latin) Every other, alternate.[6]

Word family

  • alternus
  • alterorsus
  • alterplex
  • alteruter
  • alteruterque
  • altrīnsecus
  • altrouorsum
  • sēsquialter
  • adulter
  • altercor
  • alterō

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  4. ^ a b Thesaurus linguae Latinae (1900–), Leipzig: Teubner; Berlin: De Gruyter; open-access ed., Munich: Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
  5. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  6. ^ a b 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
  7. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com