Etymologically
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scaena

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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

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