nuncupo

Forms

nuncupō (present infinitive nuncupāre, perfect active nuncupāvī, supine nuncupātum); first conjugation^[1] The Twelve Tables have the old form nuncupāssis for nuncupāveris.^[2][3]

Etymology

It is from Latin nōmen (“name”) + capiō (“to take”).^[1][2][3] De Vaan explains it as a verb formed from an unattested noun ⟨*nōmiceps⟩ “taking a name, declaring”, which became ⟨*nōmicupāre⟩ and then, through loss of the vowel, ⟨nuncupāre⟩.^[4] He traces nōmen to Proto-Indo-European *h₃neh₃-mn (“name”).^[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

De Vaan dates it from the Twelve Tables.^[4] Cicero recalls their rule that only the defects declared by word of mouth had to be made good.^[2]

Semantic evolution

It is to state formally or declare, and to name or specify, as Pliny the Elder of seas.^[2] It is also to pronounce a solemn formula or vow: Livy reports the words of a self-sacrifice as they were handed down and pronounced.^[2] Of a will it is to ratify a written will by an oral declaration, and to name an heir orally: Ulpian says one may either name or write the heirs, but if one names them it must be done openly.^[2] It is also to call by a name: Cicero writes that useful things were named after the gods.^[2] Döderlein distinguishes it from nōminō, to call someone by the name he already has: ⟨nuncupāre⟩ is to give a name to something that had none.^[5] Lewis & Short call it mostly early and post-Augustan, and frequent in legal language.^[3] Church Latin glosses it to call, name.^[6]

Timeline

• Twelve Tables – used in the law of sale.^[4][2]
• 220–130 BC – Pacuvius of invoking the loyalty of Aegisthus.^[2][7]
• 81–43 BC – Cicero of things named after the gods.^[2][7]
• 59 BC–17 AD – Livy of pronouncing a vow.^[2][7]
• before 223 AD – Ulpian of naming heirs orally.^[2][7]

Meanings

Verb

1. To state formally, declare; to mention by name.^[2][1]
2. To pronounce a vow or solemn formula.^[2][3][1]
3. To announce officially;^[2][1] testāmentum nuncupāre, to ratify a will orally.^[2][1]
4. To appoint or nominate, especially an heir.^[2][1]
5. To invoke, address by name.^[2]
6. To call by a name.^[2][3][1][6]

Word family

• nuncupātim
• nuncupātiō
• nuncupātīvus
• nuncupātor
• praenuncupatus
• nuncupātīvē

Related words

• nōmen
• capiō

References

1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
3. ^ a b c d e Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
4. ^ a b c d de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
5. ^ Döderlein, Ludwig (1874), Döderlein’s Hand-book of Latin Synonymes, tr. H. H. Arnold, Andover: W. F. Draper
6. ^ a b Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
7. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de