Etymologically
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correspondentia

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Forms

correspondentia f (genitive correspondentiae); first declension[1]

Etymology

It is from Latin correspondeō (“to correspond”),[2] formed from its present participle correspondēns.[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

The earliest dated example is in a letter of Robert Grosseteste of 1238, which calls it severe justice to punish the guilty in correspondentia, in proportion, to their desert.[4]

Semantic evolution

In scholastic Latin it meant correspondence or agreement between things: Roger Bacon writes of a correspondence between the natures of the signs and the elements.[4] The MLW and the medieval dictionaries of Bohemia and Poland give the senses mutual relation, agreement, likeness and fitness,[1][5][6] and the Polish material also has requital or gratitude.[6] A Hungarian charter of 1500 uses it for compensation in value between estates.[7]

Neo-Latin authors used it for agreement and for a good understanding between powers.[8] English took correspondence from the Medieval Latin word in the early 15th century, in the sense of congruence or agreement.[3]

Timeline

  • 1238 – Robert Grosseteste uses it for punishment in proportion to desert.[4]
  • c. 1240 – It is recorded in British Medieval Latin.[2]
  • early 15th century – English borrows it as correspondence, “congruence, agreement”.[3]
  • 1500 – A Hungarian charter uses it for compensation in value.[7]

Meanings

Noun

  1. (Medieval Latin) Correspondence, agreement, mutual relation.[4][1][5]
  2. (Medieval Latin) Proportion, as of a punishment to the offence.[4]
  3. (Medieval Latin) Compensation in value.[7]
  4. (Medieval Latin) Requital, gratitude.[6]
  5. (New Latin) An agreement or good understanding between parties.[8]

References

  1. ^ a b c Mittellateinisches Wörterbuch bis zum ausgehenden 13. Jahrhundert (1967–), Munich: C. H. Beck; Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
  2. ^ a b Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  3. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  4. ^ a b c d e 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
  5. ^ a b 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
  6. ^ a b c Lexicon mediae et infimae Latinitatis Polonorum (1953–), Kraków: Instytut Języka Polskiego PAN; electronic ed. elexicon.scriptores.pl
  7. ^ a b c Bartal, Antal, et al. (1987–), Lexicon Latinitatis Medii Aevi Hungariae, Budapest: Akadémiai Kiadó; online ed. ELTE
  8. ^ a b Ramminger, Johann, Neulateinische Wortliste: Ein Wörterbuch des Lateinischen von Petrarca bis 1700, www.neulatein.de