paulum

Forms

paulum (not comparable)^[1] It is also spelled paullum.^[2]

Etymology

It is the neuter of paulus (“little, small”), used as a noun, and its accusative used as an adverb.^[2][1] The origin of ⟨paulus⟩ is disputed: Walde–Hofmann derive it from ⟨*pauk-slo-⟩, beside paucus (“few”), but de Vaan objects that this suffix only made instrument nouns;^[3] Thurneysen took it as ⟨*pau-re-lo-⟩, a diminutive of parvus (“small”).^[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

Plautus, Curculio: dē paulō paulum hīc tibi dabō, “I'll give you a tiny bit here out of the little I have”.^[2]

Semantic evolution

As a noun it is a little, a small amount (Plautus: Philolaches owes him a little).^[2] As an adverb it is “a little, slightly, somewhat”, for a short distance (Plautus: I went off a little from them) and for a short while (Cicero: when I had rested a little).^[2] With sī it means “by only a little”: in Terence, if he had stayed a little longer he would not have found her at home.^[2]

Timeline

• c. 250–184 BC – Plautus, as a noun and as an adverb.^[2][4]
• 190–159 BC – Terence: “only a little”.^[2][4]
• 81–43 BC – Cicero of resting a little.^[2][4]

Meanings

Noun

1. A little, a small amount, a trifle.^[2][1]

Adverb

1. A little, slightly, somewhat.^[2][1]
2. For a short distance; for a short while.^[2]
3. Only a little, by a small amount.^[2]

Word family

• paululum
• pauxillum

Related words

• paulus
• paucus
• parvus
• paulātim

References

1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
3. ^ a b 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 c Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de