carmen

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [ˈkar.mɛn]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈkar.men]^[1]

Forms

carmen n (genitive carminis); third declension^[1]

Etymology

The OLD derives it from *can-men, from canō “to sing” with the suffix -men, and Köbler and Etymonline also connect it with ⟨canere⟩.^[2][3][4] Varro gives an older form ⟨casmen⟩, and Wiktionary and Lewis and Short connect it instead with Proto-Indo-European *ḱens- (“to speak solemnly, proclaim”), as in cēnseō.^[1][5]

Earliest recorded meaning

Köbler's first source is the Twelve Tables, which he dates about 450 BC.^[3]

Semantic evolution

It meant a solemn or ritual utterance, sung or chanted: a hymn, as in Varro, a magic spell, as in Virgil, an oracle or riddle, the ribald songs of soldiers at triumphs, as in Livy, and a legal or ceremonial formula, as in Cicero.^[2] It meant a song, poem or play, as in Lucilius, a verse inscription, and poetry in general or lyric poetry, as in Horace and Ovid.^[2] It also meant birdsong, as in Virgil, and instrumental music, as in Ennius.^[2] Isidore of Seville says any composition in metre is called carmen.^[6]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant a song, canticle.^[7] It survives in Italian and Portuguese carme and Spanish carmen “poem”.^[1] Through Old French charme “incantation” it is the source of English charm about 1300.^[4]

Timeline

• c. 450 BC – The Twelve Tables use it.^[3]
• 204–169 BC – Ennius uses it of instrumental music.^[2][3]
• c. 180–102 BC – Lucilius uses it of a poem.^[2][3]
• c. 1300 – English charm is recorded.^[4]

Meanings

Noun

1. A ritual chant; a hymn; a spell, charm; an oracle.^[2]
2. A legal or ceremonial formula.^[2]
3. A song, poem; a verse inscription.^[2]
4. Poetry; lyric poetry.^[2]
5. Birdsong; instrumental music.^[2]

Word family

• carminō

Related words

• canō
• cantus
• English charm

Usage notes

A different carmen, from cārō “to card”, meant a wool card, as in Claudian.^[5][8]

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 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. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
5. ^ a b Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
6. ^ Isidore of Seville, Etymologiarum sive Originum libri XX, ed. W. M. Lindsay (Oxford, 1911).
7. ^ Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
8. ^ Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.