ubi

Forms

ubī̆ (not comparable)^[1] Varro has the spelling ube, and inscriptions ubei.^[2]

Etymology

It is inherited from Proto-Italic *kʷuþei (“where”), built on the pronominal stem *kʷu- (“where”).^[3][1] De Vaan notes that the form could reflect ⟨*kʷubʰei⟩, with the PIE instrumental ending ⟨*-bʰi⟩, or ⟨*kʷudʰei⟩, an Italic remodelling of ⟨*kʷu-dʰe⟩ “where”; the agreement with Indo-Iranian and Slavic makes the latter slightly more likely.^[3] The initial ⟨c-⟩ was lost, but it survives in compounds such as alicubī and sīcubī; the final ⟨-ī⟩ was often shortened by iambic shortening.^[1]

Cognate with Oscan puf (“where”), Umbrian pufe (“where”), Sanskrit कुह (kúha, “where”), Avestan kudā (“where”) and Old Church Slavonic къде (kŭde, “where, when”).^[3][2]

Earliest recorded meaning

De Vaan dates it from Naevius;^[3] Köbler lists the Twelve Tables.^[4] Plautus has ubi patera nunc est? “where is the bowl now?”^[2]

Semantic evolution

Ubi asks “where?” (ubi gentium? “where in the world?”), often in rhetorical questions implying that something is absent, and “in what situation?”; in colloquial Latin it also means “where to?”.^[2] As a relative it means “where, in the place where”, often answered by ibi, “in which” of a situation, and colloquially it stands for a relative pronoun with a preposition, “in which, by which”.^[2][1]

In time clauses it means “when, as soon as” (ubi prīmum), and as an indefinite adverb “anywhere, at any time”.^[2]

Timeline

• c. 235–200 BC – Found in Naevius.^[3]
• c. 250–184 BC – Plautus: ubi fuistī? ubi lūstrātu's? ubi bibistī?^[2][4]
• 204–169 BC – Ennius uses it of time: quōs ubi rēx … spexit, “when the king saw them”.^[2][4]
• c. 125–175 AD – Apuleius uses it for “where to?”: ubi dūcis asinum istum?^[2][4]

Meanings

Adverb

1. (interrogative) where? in what place?^[2][5] ubi gentium?, where in the world?^[2]
2. In what situation?^[2]
3. (colloquial) Where to?^[2]
4. (relative) Where, in the place where.^[2][1]
5. In which (situation); by which, with which.^[2][1]
6. (temporal) when, as soon as.^[2][1]
7. (indefinite) Anywhere; at any time.^[2]

Word family

• ubinam
• ubīquāquē
• ubiubī̆
• ubivīs
• ubicumque
• ubilibet
• alicubī̆
• aliubī
• nēcubī̆
• neutrubi
• nuncubi
• sīcubī̆

Related words

• ibi
• quis
• unde
• quō

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 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. ^ a b c d e de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
4. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
5. ^ Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press