nam

Forms

nam ^[1]

Etymology

It is inherited from Proto-Italic *nām, the accusative singular feminine of a pronominal stem ⟨*no-⟩ “that”, formed like tam and quam.^[2][3][4][1] De Vaan and the TLL trace the stem to *h₂en- (“that”), found in Sanskrit अनेन (anéna, “by this”) and Old Church Slavonic онъ (onŭ, “he”); de Vaan also considers a link with the particle *ne (“like”).^[3][4][1] The same stem may be in num and enim.^[3][2]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is found from Livius Andronicus on.^[3][5]

Semantic evolution

In early dialogue nam is assenting (“certainly, yes”); its main use is explanatory and causal, “for”, giving a reason or proof.^[2][6] It also marks a transition (“again, moreover”), an exposition (“well then”), and in lively questions it is put before the interrogative (nam quamobrem? “why ever?”).^[2] In prose it always begins the sentence.^[6]

In Medieval Latin it could mean “on the other hand” or “but”.^[7]

Timeline

• c. 280–200 BC – First found in Livius Andronicus.^[3][5]
• 204–169 BC – Ennius: melius est virtūte iūs: nam saepe virtūtem malī nancīscuntur.^[2][5]
• c. 250–184 BC – Plautus: nam quamobrem?^[2][5]
• c. 550–1150 – Medieval Latin uses it for “but, on the other hand”.^[7]

Meanings

Conjunction

1. for, because.^[2][6]
2. (assenting) Certainly, yes.^[2]
3. Again, moreover; now, well then.^[2]
4. (before an interrogative) Why, ever?^[2]
5. (Medieval Latin) But, on the other hand.^[7]

Word family

• namque
• utinam
• numnam
• quianam

Related words

• num
• enim
• nempe

References

1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
3. ^ a b c d e 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 Thesaurus linguae Latinae (1900–), Leipzig: Teubner; Berlin: De Gruyter; open-access ed., Munich: Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
5. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
6. ^ a b c Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
7. ^ a b c Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill