quod

Forms

quod ^[1]

Etymology

It is the neuter of the relative pronoun quī, inherited from Proto-Italic *kʷod, inherited from Proto-Indo-European *kʷód, used as an adverb and conjunction.^[2][1] Lewis & Short explain it as an accusative of respect, “in respect of which”, whence “because, that”.^[3][1]

Cognate with Old English hwæt and English what.^[1]

Earliest recorded meaning

As a conjunction it is found from Plautus on: iam diū est quod ventrī vīctum nōn datis “it is a long time now since you gave my belly food”.^[2][4]

Semantic evolution

Quod introduces the fact that something is so (“that, the fact that”), the reason (“because, since”), and the point from which a time is reckoned (“since”).^[2][3][1] At the start of a sentence it means “as to the fact that” or “now, but” (quod sī “but if”).^[2][1]

After verbs of perceiving and saying it could introduce reported speech in place of the accusative and infinitive, a use that became common in Late and Medieval Latin.^[2][1]

Timeline

• c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses quod to reckon time.^[2][4]
• 81–43 BC – Cicero thanks someone quod mē vīvere coēgistī, “because you forced me to live”.^[3][4]
• Late Latin – quod introduces indirect speech.^[1]

Meanings

Conjunction

1. because, since, in that.^[3][5]
2. That, the fact that.^[2][3]
3. Since (reckoning a time).^[2]
4. As to the fact that, with regard to.^[2][1]
5. (beginning a sentence) Now, but: quod sī, but if.^[2][1]
6. (Late and Medieval Latin) That (introducing reported speech).^[1]

Word family

• quodsī
• quamobrem

Related words

• quid
• quī
• quia
• quoniam

References

1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j 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 Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
5. ^ Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson