barbarus

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [ˈbar.ba.rʊs]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈbar.ba.rus]^[1]

Forms

barbarus (feminine barbara, neuter barbarum, adverb barbarē); first/second-declension adjective^[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Ancient Greek βάρβαρος (bárbaros, “foreign, non-Greek”), an imitative word mocking unintelligible speech.^[2][1][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's earliest citations are from Plautus, of what is foreign, Plautus using it jokingly of Romans as from a Greek standpoint.^[2] Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.^[3]

Semantic evolution

It meant foreign, non-Greek from the Greek standpoint and in Roman use neither Greek nor Roman, and Plautus applies it to Romans and Italians, calling Naevius a poēta barbarus.^[2][4] From Cicero it meant uncivilized, uncouth, of speech incorrect, and in Martial of nature wild.^[2] From Varro it meant cruel, savage.^[2] As a noun, from Naevius, it meant a foreigner, and in Plautus a barbarian.^[2]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant foreign, strange, barbarian.^[5] British Medieval Latin used it of the vernacular as opposed to Latin.^[6] It was borrowed into Italian and Spanish as barbaro, bárbaro.^[1] Etymonline reports a possible origin of Italian bravo, whence English brave, in it.^[7]

Timeline

• c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it of the foreign.^[2][3]
• c. 235–200 BC – Naevius uses it as a noun.^[2][3]
• 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of the uncivilized.^[2][3]
• mid-14th century – English barbarian is recorded.^[7]

Meanings

Adjective

1. Foreign, non-Greek, non-Roman.^[2]
2. Uncivilized, uncouth; of speech, incorrect; wild.^[2]
3. Cruel, savage.^[2]

Noun

1. A foreigner.^[2]
2. A barbarian.^[2]

Word family

• barbara
• barbaricus
• sēmibarbarus

Related words

• barbariēs
• barbarismus
• barbarīzō
• barbarolexis
• barbaria
• English barbarian
• English barbarous

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 n Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
3. ^ a b c d e Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
4. ^ Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
5. ^ Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
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
7. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com