Etymologically
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uterque

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Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [ʊˈtɛr.kʷɛ][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [uˈtɛr.kʷe][1]

Forms

uterque (feminine utraque, neuter utrumque or utrunque); first/second-declension pronoun (nominative masculine singular in -er, pronominal declension; without or with m optionally → n in compounds)[1] The genitive is always utrĭusque in verse.[2][3]

Etymology

It is from uter “which of two” and the particle -que.[2][1] De Vaan traces ⟨uter⟩ to Proto-Indo-European *kʷo-tero- (“which of two”), and Latin replaced the expected ⟨*potero-⟩ with ⟨*kʷutero-⟩ after ⟨ubī⟩ and ⟨unde⟩.[4] The Oscan and Umbrian words for “both” are built the same way, and Gothic 𐍈𐌰𐌸𐌰𐍂𐌿𐌷 (ƕaþaruh, “each of two”) may be a parallel formation.[4][1]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's earliest citation for the masculine pronoun “each of the two” is from Plautus.[2] Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.[5]

Semantic evolution

It meant each of two, taken separately, both, as adjective and pronoun, as in Plautus and Cicero; in the plural it referred to two groups, as in the Rhetorica ad Herennium.[2] With alter or a second uterque it expressed reciprocity, each other.[2] Cicero has in utramque partem “in either direction”.[6]

British Medieval Latin used it for each of two, and of natural pairs.[7]

Timeline

  • c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it.[2][5]
  • 86/82 BC – The Rhetorica ad Herennium uses it of groups.[2][5]
  • 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it reciprocally.[2][5]

Meanings

Pronoun

  1. Each of two, both.[2]
  2. (plural) Each of two groups.[2]
  3. (with alter) Each … the other.[2]

Word family

  • interutrasque
  • alteruterque

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 Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  4. ^ a b de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
  5. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  6. ^ Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
  7. ^ 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