Etymologically
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theodiscus

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Pronunciation

  • Classical: [tʰe.ɔˈdɪs.kʊs][1]
  • Ecclesiastical: [te.oˈdis.kus][1]

Forms

theodiscus (feminine theodisca, neuter theodiscum); first/second-declension adjective[1] Also spelled theotiscus and thiotiscus.[1] Köbler also records teudiscus, teotiscus, theudiscus and diutiscus.[2]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Proto-West Germanic *þiudisk (“of the people”), taken from a Germanic language (Wiktionary calls this the probable source), and goes back to Proto-Germanic *þiudiskaz.[1][2] Köbler compares Old High German diutisk (“of the people, German”),[2] and the DMLBS gives Old English þēodisc as the source of the British form;[3] Etymonline describes that word as an adjective from þēod (“people, nation”), used especially of the common language of the Germanic peoples as opposed to Latin.[4] Köbler traces the root to Proto-Indo-European *teutā (“people, land”).[2]

Earliest recorded meaning

Etymonline dates the language name in Latin to 786, in letters between Charlemagne's court and the Pope about a synod in Mercia, where it refers to Old English; two years later it is used of a German language.[4]

Semantic evolution

In Early Medieval Latin it meant “of the language of the people” and then “Germanic”.[1] As with the Germanic words, the sense passed from the language to the people who spoke it,[4] and as a noun it meant “a German”.[2][3]

It is the source of Italian tedesco (English took over tedesco in 1874), French tudesque and Spanish tudesco.[1][4]

Timeline

  • 786 – First recorded as a language name, of Old English.[4]
  • 788 – Used of a German language.[4]
  • 893 – Asser uses the noun of Germanic peoples.[3][2]

Meanings

Adjective

  1. Of the vernacular language of the people (as opposed to Latin).[1][4]
  2. Germanic; German.[1][2]

Noun

  1. A German, an inhabitant of Germany.[3][2]
  • English Dutch

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  3. ^ a b c d 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
  4. ^ a b c d e f g Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com