scaena

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [ˈskae̯.na]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈʃɛː.na]^[1]

Forms

scaena f (genitive scaenae); first declension^[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Ancient Greek σκηνή (skēnḗ, “tent, stage”).^[2][3][1] The OLD puts the vowel change down to Etruscan, while Wiktionary sees the ⟨ae⟩ as a hypercorrection against the merging of /ae/ with /eː/.^[2][1] The spelling scēna was favoured by Accius, as Varro reports.^[2]

Earliest recorded meaning

Plautus, in the Captivi, says the battles will be fought off stage.^[2] Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.^[4]

Semantic evolution

It was the background of the stage, then the stage itself, and Virgil uses it of a natural backdrop of trees.^[2][5] It stood for drama and theatrical life, as when Cicero says the theatre is full of crimes.^[2][5] Figuratively it was a sphere of public display, publicity, and a piece of theatrical behaviour, a charade or pretence, as in Petronius and Tacitus.^[2][1] It also meant the setting of events, as Cicero writes to Atticus.^[2]

In medieval Latin it was a stage building, and Köbler adds a porch, arbour or tent.^[6][4] English scene is recorded in the 1530s, through French scène.^[7]

Timeline

• c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it of the stage.^[2][4]
• 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of drama.^[2][4]
• 70–19 BC – Virgil uses it of a natural backdrop.^[2][4]
• 1530s – English scene is recorded.^[7]

Meanings

Noun

1. The background of a stage; a backdrop, scenery.^[2][1]
2. The stage.^[2][8]
3. The drama, the theatre; stage life.^[2][5]
4. Public view, publicity.^[2][1]
5. A charade, pretence.^[2]
6. The setting of events, a scene.^[2]

Word family

• postscaenius
• scaenalis
• scaenārius
• scaenāticus
• scaenātilis
• scaenicus
• postscaenium

Related words

• English scene

References

1. ^ a b c d e f g h 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 Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
3. ^ Saalfeld, Günther Alexander (1874), Index Graecorum vocabulorum in linguam latinam translatorum, Berlin: Weidmann
4. ^ a b c d e Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
5. ^ a b c Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
6. ^ Latham, R. E., D. R. Howlett, R. K. Ashdowne, et al. (1975–2013), Dictionary of Medieval Latin from British Sources, London: British Academy / Oxford University Press
7. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
8. ^ Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press