alternus

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [aɫˈtɛr.nʊs]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [alˈtɛr.nus]^[1]

Forms

alternus (feminine alterna, neuter alternum); first/second-declension adjective^[1]

Etymology

It is from alter “the other” with the suffix ⟨-nus⟩.^[2][1][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

Köbler's first source is Ennius, whom the OLD cites for alternā vice “in turn”.^[4][2] Köbler dates Ennius 204–169 BC.^[4]

Semantic evolution

It meant occurring in alternation, alternate, as Caesar's alternating beams and stones in a wall, of conversation spoken by two in turn, as in Virgil, and in Ovid of elegiac verse with its alternating lines.^[2][5] Alternā vice or alternīs vicibus meant “alternately, in turn”.^[2] It meant successive, moving to and fro, answering, every other, as in Plautus, and mutual, reciprocal, as in Propertius.^[2] In Virgil the neuter plural alternīs meant “by turns”.^[2]

In Medieval Latin it meant alternate, reciprocal, and in the plural both.^[6] It survives in Spanish alterno.^[1] English alternate comes from its verb alternāre in the 1510s, and English alternative from Medieval Latin alternātīvus.^[3]

Timeline

• 204–169 BC – Ennius uses alternā vice.^[2][4]
• c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it of every other.^[2][4]
• c. 50 BC – Caesar uses it of alternating beams and stones.^[5][4]
• 1510s – English alternate is recorded.^[3]

Meanings

Adjective

1. Alternate, alternating, alternīs, by turns.^[2]
2. Successive.^[2]
3. Moving to and fro; answering.^[2]
4. Every other.^[2]
5. Mutual, reciprocal.^[2]

Word family

• alternō

Related words

• alter
• English alternate
• English alternative

References

1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
3. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
4. ^ a b c d e Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
5. ^ a b Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
6. ^ 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