Etymologically
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montania

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Pronunciation

  • Classical: [mɔnˈtaː.ni.a][1]
  • Ecclesiastical: [monˈtaː.ni.a][1]

Forms

montānia f (genitive montāniae); first declension[1] Other medieval spellings are montāna, montānea and muntanea.[1][2]

Etymology

It is from Latin mōns (“mountain”) + -ānia, with a collective suffix taken from the neuter plural of -āneus, as campānia (“countryside”) was formed from campus (“field”).[1] The Novum Glossarium heads it as ⟨montanea⟩ and derives it from montānus (“of the mountains”).[2] Du Cange equates it with ⟨montana⟩.[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is attested in the eighth-century Reichenau Glossary;[1] judging by its formation, Wiktionary takes “mountainous area” to be the original sense.[1]

Semantic evolution

In medieval charters it means a mountain or hill,[2][1] and also a sand dune and a region.[2] A testament of 1035 quoted by Du Cange leaves ipsa Montania to the testator's son.[3] In medieval Hungary it was also used for a mine.[4]

It is the source of the Romance words for “mountain”: Italian montagna, Old French montaigne, Catalan muntanya, Occitan montanha, Spanish montaña and Portuguese montanha.[1] The name of the American state Montana comes from the Spanish word.[5]

Timeline

  • 8th century – It appears in the Reichenau Glossary.[1]
  • 808 – A diploma of Charlemagne uses it for a region near Piacenza.[2]
  • 966 – A cartulary uses it for mountains.[2]
  • 1035 – A count's testament bequeaths ipsa Montania.[3][2]

Meanings

Noun

  1. (Medieval Latin) A mountainous area.[1]
  2. (Medieval Latin) A mountain or hill.[1][2][4]
  3. (Medieval Latin) A sand dune.[2]
  4. (Medieval Latin) A region.[2]
  5. (Medieval Latin) A mine.[4]

Word family

  • montāniōsus

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Novum Glossarium Mediae Latinitatis ab anno DCCC usque ad annum MCC (1957–), Copenhagen / Geneva / Paris: Union Académique Internationale; IRHT
  3. ^ a b c du Cange, Charles du Fresne, et al. (1883–1887), Glossarium mediae et infimae latinitatis, augmented ed. by Léopold Favre, Niort: L. Favre
  4. ^ a b c Bartal, Antal, et al. (1987–), Lexicon Latinitatis Medii Aevi Hungariae, Budapest: Akadémiai Kiadó; online ed. ELTE
  5. ^ Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com