argumentatio

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [ar.ɡuː.mɛnˈtaː.ti.oː]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ar.ɡu.menˈtat.t͡si.o]^[1]

Forms

argūmentātiō f (genitive argūmentātiōnis); third declension^[1]

Etymology

It is from argūmentor “to argue” with the suffix -tiō; ⟨argūmentor⟩ is from argūmentum, from arguō “to make clear, prove”.^[2][1][3] De Vaan traces ⟨arguō⟩ to Proto-Italic *argu- (“bright”), from Proto-Indo-European *h₂erǵ-u- (“white”).^[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's earliest citation is from the Rhetorica ad Herennium, of a line of argument.^[2] Köbler dates it 86/82 BC.^[5]

Semantic evolution

A rhetorical term, most frequent in Cicero, it was the presentation of arguments for a case, argumentation, and a particular proof or line of argument.^[2][6][7]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it was argument, debate, proof, evidence.^[8] British Medieval Latin used it for argument, reasoning, as in Aldhelm in 671.^[9] English argumentation came through Old French in the mid-15th century.^[3]

Timeline

• 86/82 BC – the Rhetorica ad Herennium uses it.^[2][5]
• 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it often.^[6][5]
• 671 – Aldhelm uses it.^[9]
• mid-15th century – English argumentation is recorded.^[3]

Meanings

Noun

1. Argumentation, arguing.^[2]
2. A proof, line of argument.^[2]

Related words

• argūmentor
• argūmentum
• arguō
• English argumentation

References

1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f 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. ^ de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
5. ^ a b c Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
6. ^ a b Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
7. ^ Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
8. ^ Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
9. ^ 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