Etymologically
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barbarus

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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
  • 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