sportula

Forms

sportula f (genitive sportulae); first declension^[1]

Etymology

It is from Latin sporta (“basket”) + -ula, a diminutive.^[2][3][1] The OLD takes sporta from Ancient Greek σπυρίς (spurís, “basket”), from its accusative σπυρίδα (spurída), probably through Etruscan;^[2] Köbler too calls it a loanword from that Greek word.^[4] Wiktionary instead derives it from Proto-Indo-European *sper- (“to twist, turn”).^[1]

Earliest recorded meaning

It first appears in Plautus,^[4][2] meaning a small basket: sportulam cape atque argentum, “take the little basket and the money”.^[3]

Semantic evolution

In such little baskets great men handed out food or money to their clients.^[3] By the time of Martial and Juvenal the sportula was this daily allowance itself, usually paid in cash, normally 100 quadrantes.^[2] Juvenal pictures it set out at the door for the crowd in togas.^[2] Suetonius says that Claudius jokingly called a short, unannounced set of games a sportula.^[2][3] In Pliny the Younger, Ulpian and Papinian it is any gift or dole of food or money, also a perquisite of office.^[2][3] Tertullian has the proverb sportulam furunculus captat, of a petty thief snatching at another's small possessions.^[3] In Medieval Latin it was a gratuity or present to an official, a bribe, and a feudal relief;^[5] British sources use it of a fee paid to a judge or lawyer, and Gascon charters of a feudal payment due when a new lord came to power.^[6]

Timeline

• c. 250–184 BC – Plautus, “a small basket”.^[2][4]
• 40–102/103 AD – Martial, the dole patrons gave their clients.^[2][4]
• c. 67–c. 127 AD – Juvenal describes the crowd waiting for it.^[2][4]
• c. 75–c. 150 AD – Suetonius, of Claudius' games.^[2][4]
• c. 797 AD – Alcuin, of fees paid to judges.^[6]
• 1250 – A Gascon charter, of a feudal payment.^[6]

Meanings

Noun

1. A small basket.^[2][3]
2. The daily dole of food, usually replaced by money, that a patron gave his clients.^[2][3]
3. Any gift or dole of food or money; a perquisite of office.^[2][3]
4. (Medieval Latin) A gratuity or present to an official, a bribe; a fee paid to a judge or lawyer.^[5][6]
5. (Medieval Latin) A feudal relief.^[5][6]

Related words

• sporta

Usage notes

Medieval spellings include sportulus and sporla.^[5][6]

References

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