lingualis

Forms

linguālis (neuter linguāle); third-declension two-termination adjective^[1]

Etymology

It is from Latin lingua (“tongue”) + -ālis.^[1][2]

Earliest recorded meaning

The earliest record in the sources is a Hungarian charter of 1336, which speaks of iudices linguales, judges dealing with the fine for an offence of the tongue: “Quibus iudicibus lingualibus convictus ... extitit” (“convicted by these judges of the tongue”).^[3]

Semantic evolution

Wiktionary gives it as a Medieval Latin word for “of the tongue”,^[1] and Bohemian sources use it of something shaped like a bird's tongue.^[4] English borrowed it as lingual in the 1640s.^[2]

Timeline

• 1336 – A Hungarian charter mentions judges of offences of the tongue.^[3]
• 1640s – English borrows it as lingual, “of the tongue”.^[2]

Meanings

Adjective

1. (Medieval Latin) Of the tongue, lingual.^[1][2]
2. (Medieval Latin, law) Relating to the fine for an offence of the tongue: iudex linguālis.^[3]
3. (Medieval Latin) Shaped like a bird's tongue.^[4]

Related words

• lingua
• English lingual

References

1. ^ a b c d e f Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
3. ^ a b c Bartal, Antal, et al. (1987–), Lexicon Latinitatis Medii Aevi Hungariae, Budapest: Akadémiai Kiadó; online ed. ELTE
4. ^ a b 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