quia

Forms

quia ^[1]

Etymology

It is the old neuter plural (nominative and accusative) of the interrogative quis, from Proto-Indo-European *kʷih₂.^[2][3][1] Lewis & Short, following an older view, explained it as ⟨*quiam⟩, from the ablative quī and iam, “whereby now”, an analysis Wiktionary also records.^[4][1]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is found from Plautus on, answering a question: cūr mē retentās? — quia tuī amāns abeuntis egeō “why do you hold me back? — because I love you and miss you when you go”.^[3][2]

Semantic evolution

Quia gives the reason, “because”; it answers a question, introduces a clause often prepared by proptereā or ideō, and rejects a false reason (nōn quia … sed quia).^[3] Lewis & Short note that, like quod, it gives the determining reason, while quoniam gives any attendant circumstance.^[4]

From Petronius on it introduces reported speech, “that”, a use that grew in Late Latin;^[3][1][5] Medieval writers also used it before direct speech and for “although”.^[3][1][5]

Timeline

• c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it in answers.^[3][6]
• 190–159 BC – Terence uses it.^[6]
• before AD 66 – Petronius: subolfaciō quia nōbīs epulum datūrus est, “I smell that he is going to give us a feast”.^[3][6]
• c. 550–1150 – Medieval Latin uses it before direct speech and for “although”.^[5]

Meanings

Conjunction

1. because, since, for.^[3][4]
2. Because (answering a question).^[3]
3. The fact that.^[3]
4. (Late Latin) That (introducing reported speech).^[3][1]
5. (Medieval Latin) Although.^[5]

Word family

• quianam

Related words

• quis
• quod
• quoniam

References

1. ^ a b c d e f g h Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ 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
3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
4. ^ a b c Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
5. ^ a b c d Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill
6. ^ a b c Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de