interrogatio

Forms

interrogātiō f (genitive interrogātiōnis); third declension^[1]

Etymology

It is from Latin interrogō (“to question”) + -tiō.^[2][1] interrogō is inter (“between”) and rogō (“to ask”), which de Vaan explains as a verb made from a noun Proto-Italic *rogo- (“request; stretching out”), from Proto-Indo-European *h₃roǵ-o- (“stretching”), perhaps of the arms when begging.^[1][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

Köbler dates it from Cicero,^[4] who speaks of someone obstructing the cause of the tax farmers with very stupid questions.^[2]

Semantic evolution

It is the putting of questions, especially the examination of witnesses, as Tacitus' frequent questions that made the watchword known, and a single question or inquiry.^[2][5] In rhetoric it is the figure of the rhetorical question, and in philosophy an argument conducted by question and answer, a syllogism, as Cicero speaks of those who conclude nothing by a proper argument.^[2][1] The Itala and the Vulgate use it in the First Epistle of Peter of baptism as the appeal or pledge of a good conscience.^[6][7] In Medieval Latin it is a hearing or session, a formal demand, a claim and a tallage.^[8] English interrogation (late 14th century) is from Old French or directly from Latin.^[9]

Timeline

• 81–43 BC – Cicero of questions and of dialectical argument.^[2][4]
• c. 35–95/96 AD – Quintilian of the rhetorical question.^[2][4]
• 98–115 AD – Tacitus of the examination of witnesses.^[5][4]
• late 14th century – English interrogation is formed from it.^[9]

Meanings

Noun

1. A questioning, examination, interrogation; a question, inquiry.^[2][5][1]
2. (rhetoric) The use of rhetorical questions.^[2]
3. (philosophy) An argument by question and answer; a syllogism.^[2][1]
4. (Ecclesiastical Latin) A pledge, appeal.^[7][6]
5. (Medieval Latin) A hearing, session; a formal demand; a claim; a tallage.^[8]

Word family

• interrogātiuncula

Related words

• interrogāmentum
• interroganter
• interrogātīvē
• interrogātīvus
• interrogātor
• interrogātōrius
• interrogō
• English interrogation

References

1. ^ a b c d e f g h Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
3. ^ de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
4. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
5. ^ a b c Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
6. ^ a b Thesaurus linguae Latinae (1900–), Leipzig: Teubner; Berlin: De Gruyter; open-access ed., Munich: Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
7. ^ a b Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
8. ^ a b Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill
9. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com