auditio

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [au̯ˈdiː.ti.oː]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [au̯ˈdit.t͡si.o]^[1]

Forms

audītiō f (genitive audītiōnis); third declension^[1]

Etymology

It is from Latin audiō (“to hear”) + -tiō.^[2][1] De Vaan traces ⟨audiō⟩ to Proto-Italic *awizdje/o- (“to hear”), from Proto-Indo-European *h₂ew-is (“clearly”) and Proto-Indo-European *dʰh₁-ye/o- (“to render”).^[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's earliest citations include Plautus, and Köbler's earliest source is Cicero.^[2][4] Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC and Cicero 81–43 BC.^[4]

Semantic evolution

It meant the act of hearing or listening, as in Cicero's puerī fābellārum audītiōne dūcuntur “children are attracted by listening to stories”; hearsay, report, as in Cicero and Caesar; and in Pliny a lecture, discourse, recital.^[2][5][6]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant hearing, report, audition.^[7] In British Medieval Latin it was also study at a university and the audit of an account.^[8] English audition (1590s “power of hearing”, 1650s “act of hearing”) is from it, partly through French audicion.^[9]

Timeline

• c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it.^[2][4]
• 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of listening and of hearsay.^[2][4]
• 23/24–79 AD – Pliny uses it of a recital.^[2][4]
• 1590s – English audition is recorded.^[9]

Meanings

Noun

1. The act of hearing or listening.^[2]
2. Hearsay, report.^[2]
3. A lecture, discourse, recital.^[2]
4. (Medieval Latin) University study; the audit of an account.^[8]

Word family

• auditiuncula

Related words

• audiēns
• audientia
• audiō
• audītor
• audītōriālis
• audītōrium
• audītōrius
• audītus
• English audition

References

1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
3. ^ de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
4. ^ a b c d e Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
5. ^ Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
6. ^ Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
7. ^ Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
8. ^ 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
9. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com