iactatio

Forms

iactātiō f (genitive iactātiōnis); third declension^[1]

Etymology

It is from Latin iactō (“to throw about”) + -tiō,^[2][3] a frequentative of iaciō “to throw”.^[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

Cicero, in the Brutus, praises an orator with no great tossing of the body and no change of voice.^[2] Köbler dates Cicero 81–43 BC.^[3]

Semantic evolution

It was the action of tossing or throwing to and fro, the movement of the body in gestures, as Cicero speaks of moderate movement, Livy of frenzied movement, and of the tossing of a ship in a storm.^[2][4] Figuratively it was frequent change of mind, as in Cicero and Livy.^[2] Most often it meant boasting, which Cicero defines as pleasure that exults and carries itself too insolently, and display or showing off to win popularity.^[2] Döderlein contrasts iactātiō, making much of one's merits in words and actions, with glōriātiō.^[5]

In medieval Latin it meant throwing, casting out and shovelling, and British documents use it of the sea tossing up debris.^[6][7] Through Anglo-French getteson “throwing goods overboard” it is the source of English jettison, restored in the 18th century from Middle English jetteson, and of English jetsam.^[8]

Timeline

• 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of gestures and of boasting.^[2][3]
• 59 BC–17 AD – Livy uses it of frenzied movement.^[2][3]
• 1848 – English jettison is used as a verb.^[8]

Meanings

Noun

1. A tossing, shaking, agitation; gesturing.^[2][1]
2. Changeableness of mind.^[2]
3. Boasting, boastfulness.^[2][4]
4. Display, showing off.^[2]
5. (Medieval Latin) A throwing, casting.^[7][6]

Related words

• iactō
• iaciō
• English jettison

References

1. ^ a b 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 Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
5. ^ Döderlein, Ludwig (1874), Döderlein’s Hand-book of Latin Synonymes, tr. H. H. Arnold, Andover: W. F. Draper
6. ^ a b Mittellateinisches Wörterbuch bis zum ausgehenden 13. Jahrhundert (1967–), Munich: C. H. Beck; Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
7. ^ a b 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
8. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com