mendose

Forms

mendōsē (superlative mendōsissimē); adverb^[1][2]

Etymology

It is from Latin mendōsus (“full of faults”) + -ē.^[1][3] The adjective is formed from mendum (“fault, blemish”),^[4][5] which de Vaan traces to Proto-Italic *m(e)ndo- and compares with Old Irish mennar (“blemish”); he regards a further link with the root of “to think” as only a theoretical possibility.^[6]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is found in Cicero,^[5][3] who complains to his brother that Latin books are copied and sold full of mistakes, ita mendōsē et scrībuntur et vēneunt.^[3][7]

Semantic evolution

In Classical Latin it meant faultily, with many errors, especially of writing and copying;^[1][8][2] Cicero has the superlative of a treatise written very badly.^[1][8][2] More broadly it meant wrongly or mistakenly: Lucretius uses it of giving false explanations, and Persius of drawing a false conclusion.^[8][9]

In medieval Latin it also meant deceitfully or falsely: Uguccio glosses it with mendāciter “lyingly”,^[10][11] and the glossary of Osbern of Gloucester also explains it as filthily.^[12]

Timeline

• 96–55 BC – Lucretius uses it of giving false explanations.^[8][5]
• 81–43 BC – Cicero complains of books copied with many mistakes.^[3][5]
• 34–62 AD – Persius uses it of drawing a wrong conclusion.^[9][5]
• 1204 – Peter of Blois complains of quires written badly and full of errors.^[12]

Meanings

Adverb

1. Faultily, with many errors (especially of writing or copying).^[1][3][8]
2. Wrongly, erroneously.^[1][8]
3. (Medieval Latin) Deceitfully, falsely.^[10][11]

Related words

• mendōsus
• mendāx

References

1. ^ a b c d e f Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
2. ^ a b c Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
3. ^ a b c d e Georges, Karl Ernst (1913–1918), Ausführliches lateinisch-deutsches Handwörterbuch, 8th ed., ed. Heinrich Georges, Hannover; Leipzig: Hahn
4. ^ Bianchi, Rossella; Lelli, Olga (2014), VOLI: Vocabolario di latino, Florence: Le Monnier
5. ^ a b c d e Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
6. ^ de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
7. ^ Lewis, Charlton T. (1890), An Elementary Latin Dictionary, New York: American Book Company
8. ^ a b c d e f Conte, Gian Biagio; Pianezzola, Emilio; Ranucci, Giuliano (2010), il Latino: Vocabolario della lingua latina, 3rd ed., Florence: Le Monnier
9. ^ a b Jeanneau, Gérard; Woitrain, Jean-Paul; Hassid, Jean-Claude (2017), Dictionnaire latin-français, online ed., prima-elementa.fr
10. ^ a b Novum Glossarium Mediae Latinitatis ab anno DCCC usque ad annum MCC (1957–), Copenhagen / Geneva / Paris: Union Académique Internationale; IRHT
11. ^ 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
12. ^ 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