neutralitas

Forms

neutrālitās f (genitive neutrālitātis); third declension^[1]

Etymology

It is from Latin neutrālis (“neutral, impartial”) + -tās (“-ness”), a Medieval Latin formation.^[1][2][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

Köbler's first record is John of Salisbury, about 1160.^[2] In the Policraticus he writes of physicians who claim to foretell health, sickness or the state “which they call neutralitas”, the condition between the two.^[4][3]

Semantic evolution

The word began as a term of medicine for a state between health and sickness,^[3][4] and scholastic natural philosophy used it for the neutral state of bodies that are neither heavy nor light, as in John Peckham and Duns Scotus.^[3]

In the late Middle Ages it took on a political sense: Wyclif uses it of neutrality in a dispute, and other British texts of standing with neither of two rival popes.^[3] In Poland it named the stance of those who sided neither with Pope Eugenius nor with the Council of Basel,^[5] and more widely a lack of decision.^[5] Neo-Latin writers such as Piccolomini and Francis Bacon use it for neutrality and impartiality.^[6]

Timeline

• c. 1160 – John of Salisbury uses it in medicine for the state between health and sickness.^[2][3]
• 1437 – An English letter speaks of negotiating this neutrality between the two obediences.^[3]
• 1442 – A Polish chapter record uses it of neutrality between Pope Eugenius and the Council of Basel.^[5]

Meanings

Noun

1. (Medieval Latin, medicine) A neutral state between health and sickness.^[3][4]
2. (Medieval Latin, natural philosophy) The neutral state of a body that is neither heavy nor light.^[3]
3. (Medieval Latin) Political neutrality, siding with neither party.^[3][5][6]
4. (Medieval Latin) Indecision, hesitation.^[5]

Related words

• English neutrality

References

1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j 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
4. ^ 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
5. ^ a b c d e Lexicon mediae et infimae Latinitatis Polonorum (1953–), Kraków: Instytut Języka Polskiego PAN; electronic ed. elexicon.scriptores.pl
6. ^ a b Ramminger, Johann, Neulateinische Wortliste: Ein Wörterbuch des Lateinischen von Petrarca bis 1700, www.neulatein.de