Etymologically
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hic

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Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [ˈhɪk][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈik][1]

Forms

hic (feminine haec, neuter hoc); first/second-declension determiner (hic-type)[1]

Etymology

It is formed from a demonstrative stem and the deictic particle -ce (“here”), which appears as ⟨-c⟩ in most forms.[2][3][1] De Vaan reconstructs the stem as *χo, inherited from Proto-Indo-European *ǵʰe/o- (“this”), one of the many deictic elements of PIE, and the particle as *-ḱe; the masculine, older hec, comes from *hi-ke.[2] The OLD calls the first element uncertain.[3] Most of the case forms were taken over from ordinary adjectives, and the feminine ⟨haec⟩ was modelled on quae.[2]

Possible cognates are Faliscan hec (“here”) and the element Umbrian -hont of Umbrian “erahunt” (the same), which would prove a Proto-Italic origin.[2]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is found in the Twelve Tables and Livius Andronicus;[2][4] Old Latin inscriptions have honc and hec.[2][4]

Semantic evolution

Hic is the demonstrative of the first person: it points at what is near the speaker, in place, time or thought (“this”), and in court speeches at the speaker's own side.[3][5] It can mean “of the present day”, “of this place” and “of this world”; it refers back to what was just said or forward to what follows, and in contrast with ille it means “the latter”.[3]

The adverb hīc “here” is its old locative (older heic), as are hinc, hūc and hāc from other cases.[2][3][1] In medieval Latin hic also meant “earthly, of this life”.[6]

Timeline

  • c. 450 BC – Used in the Twelve Tables.[2][4]
  • c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses both the pronoun and the adverb hīc (also spelled heic).[3][4]
  • c. 235–200 BC – Naevius uses the adverb hīc “here”.[2][4]

Meanings

Pronoun

  1. this (near the speaker in place, time or thought); (plural) these.[3][7]
  2. This person here, I (the speaker).[3]
  3. Of the present day; of this place; of this world.[3]
  4. This last, the recent; this next.[3]
  5. This (just mentioned, or what follows); (in contrast with ille) the latter.[3]
  6. (Medieval Latin) Earthly, of this life.[6]

Adverb

  1. (hīc) here, in this place; at this point, on this occasion.[3][8]

Word family

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 de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  4. ^ a b c d e Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  5. ^ Georges, Karl Ernst (1913–1918), Ausführliches lateinisch-deutsches Handwörterbuch, 8th ed., ed. Heinrich Georges, Hannover; Leipzig: Hahn
  6. ^ a b Mittellateinisches Wörterbuch bis zum ausgehenden 13. Jahrhundert (1967–), Munich: C. H. Beck; Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
  7. ^ Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  8. ^ Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson