Etymologically
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intentionalis

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Forms

intentiōnālis (neuter intentiōnāle); third declension[1][2]

Etymology

It is a medieval formation,[3][1] from Latin intentiō (“intention; concept”) + -ālis.[1][2]

Earliest recorded meaning

The MLW's earliest examples are from Albertus Magnus, who speaks of the “intentional” being of an odour or of a universal, existing only as a likeness in the senses or the mind.[2]

Semantic evolution

It was a technical term of scholastic logic and philosophy: Thomas Aquinas opposes it to realis,[4] and Duns Scotus says that an object in the intellect has no real being but only an intentional one.[3] It also meant “intended, deliberate”, as in Fleta[1] and in Wyclif, who speaks of things produced according to God's intention.[3] It is recorded in the Latin of Bohemia and Poland too.[5][6] English intentional is formed from intention or taken from the Medieval Latin word.[7]

Timeline

  • c. 1290 – Fleta uses it for “intentional, deliberate”.[1]
  • 1520s – English intentional, perhaps from this word.[7]

Meanings

Adjective

  1. (philosophy) Existing only in the mind, conceptual, as opposed to real (esse intentionale).[2][3][4]
  2. Of intention or purpose; intentional, deliberate.[3][1]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  2. ^ a b c d Mittellateinisches Wörterbuch bis zum ausgehenden 13. Jahrhundert (1967–), Munich: C. H. Beck; Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
  3. ^ 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
  4. ^ a b Schütz, Ludwig (1895), Thomas-Lexikon, 2nd ed., Paderborn: F. Schöningh
  5. ^ 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. ^ Lexicon mediae et infimae Latinitatis Polonorum (1953–), Kraków: Instytut Języka Polskiego PAN; electronic ed. elexicon.scriptores.pl
  7. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com