Etymologically
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certificatio

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Forms

certificātiō f (genitive certificātiōnis); third declension[1][2] Often spelled certificacio.[3][4]

Etymology

It is from Latin certificō (“to make certain, certify”) + -tiō, a noun of action made from the verb.[1][4]

Earliest recorded meaning

Its first record is in the Codex Carolinus, whose writers call the God of heaven as witness prō ampliōrī certificātiōne, for fuller confirmation.[2][1]

Semantic evolution

In legal and church use it meant confirmation, authentication: in a diploma of Otto I the grantor confirms everything with his own hand ad certificātiōnem.[2][5] It could also mean an assignment, and an inquiry or verification, as when a charter of 1228 allows the parties to have recourse to it if a doubt arises.[2] In English records it was a certification given by sworn men or officials, from the Curia Regis rolls of 1219,[6] then a written certificate and a guarantee or security.[6][5][3]

Scholastic writers used it for assurance and convincing proof: Albertus Magnus speaks of a demonstration of great force of proof, and writes that the concentration of the rays strengthens the sight.[2] Roger Bacon uses it of the verification of tables by instruments.[6] In Hungarian and Polish documents it was also a formal notification.[3][4][7]

Timeline

  • 739–791 – The Codex Carolinus uses it for confirmation.[2][1]
  • 1219 – The Curia Regis rolls use it of the certification given by sworn men.[6]
  • 1228 – A Rhineland charter uses it of verification.[2]
  • 1239 – A Hungarian document speaks of witnesses for the confirmation of boundaries.[3]
  • 1321 – An English record has a written certificate concerning the parliament at Westminster.[6]

Meanings

Noun

  1. (Medieval Latin) Confirmation, authentication, certification.[2][5][6]
  2. (Medieval Latin) An assignment, transfer.[2]
  3. (Medieval Latin) Verification, inquiry; proof, testimony.[2][3][8]
  4. (Medieval Latin) A written assurance, a certificate.[6]
  5. (Medieval Latin) A guarantee, security.[5][6][3][4]
  6. (Medieval Latin, philosophy) Assurance, convincing demonstration; grounding, definition.[2][6]
  7. (Medieval Latin) A formal notification.[3][4][7]

References

  1. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Mittellateinisches Wörterbuch bis zum ausgehenden 13. Jahrhundert (1967–), Munich: C. H. Beck; Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
  3. ^ a b c d e f g Bartal, Antal, et al. (1987–), Lexicon Latinitatis Medii Aevi Hungariae, Budapest: Akadémiai Kiadó; online ed. ELTE
  4. ^ a b c d e Lexicon mediae et infimae Latinitatis Polonorum (1953–), Kraków: Instytut Języka Polskiego PAN; electronic ed. elexicon.scriptores.pl
  5. ^ a b c d Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h i 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 Ramminger, Johann, Neulateinische Wortliste: Ein Wörterbuch des Lateinischen von Petrarca bis 1700, www.neulatein.de
  8. ^ Latinitatis medii aevi lexicon Bohemorum / Slovník středověké latiny v českých zemích (1977–), Prague: Academia; electronic version, Institute of Philosophy of the Czech Academy of Sciences