Etymologically
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interrogo

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Pronunciation

  • Classical: [ɪnˈtɛr.rɔ.ɡoː][1]
  • Ecclesiastical: [inˈtɛr.ro.ɡo][1]

Forms

interrogō (present infinitive interrogāre, perfect active interrogāvī, supine interrogātum); first conjugation[1]

Etymology

It is formed from Latin inter- (“between”) + rogō (“to ask”).[2][3][1] De Vaan takes rogō as a verb made from a noun or adjective ⟨*rog-o-⟩ “stretching out”, perhaps of the arms in asking, from Proto-Indo-European *h₃roǵ-o- (“stretching”), the root of regō (“to direct”).[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

Plautus has Sosia ask quis ego sum saltem, sī nōn sum Sōsia? tē interrogō, “who am I then, if I am not Sosia? I'm asking you”.[2]

Semantic evolution

Interrogāre is “to ask, question”, and in court “to examine, interrogate” witnesses (Cicero: in testibus interrogandīs).[2][3][1] In the senate it is to ask a senator for his opinion (sententiam), and lēge interrogāre is “to call to account, arraign” (Cicero: quis mē umquam ūllā lēge interrogāvit?, “who ever brought me to trial under any law?”).[2][1] Tacitus uses it of consulting the cries and flight of birds, and philosophers of arguing by question and answer.[2][1] In law it is to put the formal question in making a stipulation.[2][1]

Church Latin glosses it “to inquire, request, examine, test, demand”.[5] English interrogate comes from it in the late 15th century.[6]

Timeline

  • c. 250–184 BC – Plautus: tē interrogō.[2][7]
  • 81–43 BC – Cicero: in testibus interrogandīs.[2][7]
  • 98–115 AD – Tacitus uses it of consulting birds.[2][7]
  • late 15th century – English interrogate.[6]

Meanings

Verb

  1. To ask, question.[2][3][1][5]
  2. To examine, interrogate (in court).[2][1][5]
  3. To ask (a senator) for his opinion.[2][1]
  4. lēge interrogāre: to arraign, indict.[2][1]
  5. To consult (signs, sources).[2]
  6. To argue, reason (by question and answer).[2][1]
  7. (law) To put the formal question (in a stipulation).[2][1]

Word family

  • interrogāmentum
  • interrogātiō
  • interrogātīvus
  • interrogātor
  • interrogātum
  • interroganter

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ a b c Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  4. ^ de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
  5. ^ a b c Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
  6. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  7. ^ a b c Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de