Etymologically
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uls

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Pronunciation

  • Classical: [ˈʊɫs][1]
  • Ecclesiastical: [ˈuls][1]

Forms

uls (+ accusative)[1] An archaic ouls occurs in the formula of the Argei that Varro quotes, and ultis in the Digest.[2][3][4]

Etymology

It is probably from Latin ultrā (“on the far side, beyond”), made from it on the model of cis (“on this side”) beside citrā; de Vaan, following Leumann, considers the rare preposition probably not ancient.[5][1] Its source, with ultrō, ulterior and ultimus, goes back to Proto-Italic *ol-tero- and Proto-Indo-European *h₂ol-tero- (“further”),[5] from the o-grade of *h₂el- (“beyond, other”),[1] the root of olle, the old form of ille (“that”).[5][6]

Cognate with Oscan últiumam (“last”).[5]

Earliest recorded meaning

Festus records that Cato used it for ultra “beyond”,[2] and Köbler's first author is Cato.[7]

Semantic evolution

It survived mainly in old formulas set against cis: the archaic ouls lucum Facutalem of the Argei ritual,[2][3] and et uls et cis Tiberim “both beyond and on this side of the Tiber”, both in Varro.[2][3][8] Gellius discusses it,[2][3] and the jurist Pomponius, in the Digest, mentions officials appointed cis Tiberim et ultis Tiberim.[2][3]

Timeline

  • 234–149 BC – Cato uses it for ultra, according to Festus.[2][7]
  • 116–27 BC – Varro quotes ouls from the Argei formula and uses uls Tiberim.[2][3][7]
  • c. 165 AD – Gellius discusses it.[2][3][7]

Meanings

Preposition

  1. (archaic, with accusative) On the far side of, beyond (opposed to cis).[6][2][4]

Usage notes

Döderlein contrasts it with trāns: both mean “on the other side” as a plain statement of place, but trans is the usual word and uls the antiquated one, while ultrā stresses going further.[9]

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 Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  3. ^ a b c d e f g Georges, Karl Ernst (1913–1918), Ausführliches lateinisch-deutsches Handwörterbuch, 8th ed., ed. Heinrich Georges, Hannover; Leipzig: Hahn
  4. ^ a b Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
  5. ^ a b c d de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
  6. ^ a b Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  7. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  8. ^ Conte, Gian Biagio; Pianezzola, Emilio; Ranucci, Giuliano (2010), il Latino: Vocabolario della lingua latina, 3rd ed., Florence: Le Monnier
  9. ^ Döderlein, Ludwig (1874), Döderlein’s Hand-book of Latin Synonymes, tr. H. H. Arnold, Andover: W. F. Draper