Etymologically
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arguo

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Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [ˈar.ɡu.oː][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈar.ɡu.o][1]

Forms

arguō (present infinitive arguere, perfect active arguī, supine argūtum); third conjugation[1]

Etymology

It is probably a verb formed from an adjective Proto-Italic *argu- (“bright”), Proto-Indo-European *h₂erǵ-u- (“white”), so first “to make bright, make clear”.[2] The adjective survives in argūtus.[2] A similar verb is Hittite arkuwae- (“to make a plea”), and the root is that of Sanskrit अर्जुन (árjuna-, “white”), Ancient Greek ἄργυρος (árguros, “silver”) and argentum.[2][3][4]

Earliest recorded meaning

Plautus uses it.[2] Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.[5]

Semantic evolution

Georges explains it as “to show in bright light”.[6] In Classical Latin it was to show, reveal or prove, as Virgil's fear that reveals base minds, to allege or assert, to prove guilty, to accuse, to refute, and to blame or criticize.[3] Döderlein calls it the most general word for charging someone with guilt, in court or not.[7]

In medieval Latin it was mainly to accuse, charge or convict.[8] It survives as French arguer, Italian arguire and Spanish argüir.[1] English argue comes from it, and argument from argūmentum.[9]

Timeline

  • c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it of accusing.[3][5]
  • 204–169 BC – Ennius uses it of being found guilty.[3][5]
  • early 14th century – English argument is recorded, from argūmentum.[9]
  • c. 1300 – English argue is recorded, through Old French arguer.[9]

Meanings

Verb

  1. To show, reveal, prove.[3][10]
  2. To allege, assert.[3][1]
  3. To prove guilty, convict.[3]
  4. To accuse, charge.[3][1]
  5. To refute, prove wrong.[3]
  6. To blame, censure.[3][1]

Word family

  • argūmentum
  • argūtia
  • argūtulus
  • coarguō
  • inargūtus
  • perargūtus
  • redarguō
  • argūmentātiō
  • argūmentātor
  • argūmentor
  • argūtus

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d 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 j Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  4. ^ Thesaurus linguae Latinae (1900–), Leipzig: Teubner; Berlin: De Gruyter; open-access ed., Munich: Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
  5. ^ a b c Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  6. ^ Georges, Karl Ernst (1913–1918), Ausführliches lateinisch-deutsches Handwörterbuch, 8th ed., ed. Heinrich Georges, Hannover; Leipzig: Hahn
  7. ^ Döderlein, Ludwig (1874), Döderlein’s Hand-book of Latin Synonymes, tr. H. H. Arnold, Andover: W. F. Draper
  8. ^ Mittellateinisches Wörterbuch bis zum ausgehenden 13. Jahrhundert (1967–), Munich: C. H. Beck; Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
  9. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  10. ^ Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press