pronuntio

Forms

prōnūntiō (present infinitive prōnūntiāre, perfect active prōnūntiāvī, supine prōnūntiātum); first conjugation^[1] The law on extortion in an inscription spells it prōnontiō.^[2][3] It is also spelled prōnunciō.^[4]

Etymology

It is formed from Latin prō- + nūntiō (“to announce”), as Varro already explained.^[2][1][3] The verb comes from nūntius (“messenger”), whose further origin de Vaan finds unclear.^[5]

Earliest recorded meaning

Sempronius Asellio, at the start of his Histories, says it is not enough for him to report what was done.^[2][6]

Semantic evolution

It is to proclaim publicly, of magistrates and criers: Varro has the praetor announcing the last hour of the day to the people.^[2] It is to put a motion to the Senate, to proclaim someone free or chosen, to give notice of an action, and to promise rewards publicly.^[2] In law it is to pronounce a verdict or sentence, and to give judgement.^[2] It is also to declare as one's view, to state a fact, of oracles to foretell, of a seller to disclose defects, and to give away a secret.^[2] Of orators it is to deliver words, and Cicero says the order of feet makes what is spoken sound like prose or verse.^[2]

Church Latin glosses it “declare, speak, pronounce, announce”.^[7] English pronounce (mid-14th century, first “to declare officially”) comes from it through Old French.^[8]

Timeline

• c. 100 BC – Sempronius Asellio of reporting facts.^[2][6]
• 116–27 BC – Varro of a praetor's proclamation.^[2][6]
• 81–43 BC – Cicero of motions, promises, sales and delivery.^[2][6]
• mid-14th century – English pronounce.^[8]

Meanings

Verb

1. To proclaim, announce publicly; to declare (someone something).^[2][1][7]
2. To promise publicly.^[2]
3. (law) To pronounce (a verdict or sentence); to give judgement.^[2][1]
4. To state, assert; to disclose.^[2][7]
5. To deliver, utter; to pronounce.^[2][1][7]

Word family

• pronuntiabilis
• prōnūntiātiō
• prōnuntiātīvus
• prōnūntiātor
• prōnuntiātum
• prōnuntiātus

Related words

• nūntiō
• dēnūntiō
• ēnūntiō
• English pronounce

References

1. ^ a b c d e f g 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 Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
3. ^ a b Thesaurus linguae Latinae (1900–), Leipzig: Teubner; Berlin: De Gruyter; open-access ed., Munich: Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
4. ^ Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
5. ^ de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
6. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
7. ^ a b c d Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
8. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com