utrum

Forms

utrum ^[1]

Etymology

It is the neuter of uter “which of the two”, used as a particle.^[2][3][1][4] De Vaan derives ⟨uter⟩ from Proto-Indo-European *kʷo-tero- (“which of two”), which Latin remade as ⟨*kʷutero-⟩ after the interrogative stem of ubī, unde and ut.^[5]

Earliest recorded meaning

Terence has ita, utrum taceam an praedīcemne?, “so, shall I keep quiet or tell?”^[2] Köbler dates it from Cicero.^[4]

Semantic evolution

Utrum introduces a double question, direct or indirect, with an, anne or aut before the second part: utrum … an, “whether … or”.^[2][3][1][6] In a direct question it is not translated into English, which shows the question by the tone of voice.^[3] Sometimes it introduces an indirect question without a stated alternative, “whether”.^[2]

Timeline

• 190–159 BC – Terence: utrum taceam an praedīcemne?.^[2][4]
• 81–43 BC – Cicero: utrum dē tē arātōrēs … an Siculī ūniversī, in a list of alternatives.^[2][4]

Meanings

Conjunction

1. utrum … an, whether … or.^[2][3][1][6]
2. whether.^[2][1]

Related words

• uter
• an
• num
• -ne

References

1. ^ a b c d e f g Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
3. ^ a b c d Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
4. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
5. ^ 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 Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson