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autumo

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Pronunciation

  • Classical: [ˈau̯.tʊ.moː][1]
  • Ecclesiastical: [ˈaːu̯.tu.mo][1]

Forms

autumō (present infinitive autumāre, perfect active autumāvī, supine autumātum); first conjugation[1]

Etymology

The origin is uncertain.[2][3] De Vaan suggests that it may be formed from autem (“but, however”), as negō is from nec.[4] Lewis & Short take it as a lengthened form of aiō (“to say yes”), comparing aestimō.[5] The TLL reports a connection with the word for bird, like Ancient Greek οἴομαι (oíomai, “to think”).[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

De Vaan dates it from Plautus.[4] In the OLD's earliest quotation, from Plautus, someone says that he hears her assert it.[2][6]

Semantic evolution

It is to affirm, assert, often of doubtful claims, as opposed to negō.[5][2] Plautus also uses it to mean to mention, to name, and to think or judge.[2] De Vaan notes that it died out at the end of the Republic.[4] Gellius reports a discussion of it in a commentary of Nigidius.[3] Wiktionary marks it as Old, Late and Medieval Latin.[1] Church Latin glosses it to affirm, assert, and to think.[7]

Timeline

  • c. 250–184 BC – Plautus of asserting, mentioning, naming and judging.[2][4][6]
  • c. 165 AD – Gellius discusses it.[3][6]

Meanings

Verb

  1. To allege, affirm, say yes.[2][5][1][7]
  2. To speak of, mention.[2]
  3. To name, call.[2][1]
  4. To reckon, think, judge.[2][1][7]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g 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. ^ a b c d Thesaurus linguae Latinae (1900–), Leipzig: Teubner; Berlin: De Gruyter; open-access ed., Munich: Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
  4. ^ 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
  5. ^ a b c Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  6. ^ a b c Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  7. ^ a b c Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson