Etymologically
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vocalis

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Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [woːˈkaː.lɪs][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [voˈkaː.lis][1]

Forms

vōcālis (neuter vōcāle, adverb vōcāliter); third-declension two-termination adjective[1]

Etymology

It is from vōx “voice” with the suffix -ālis.[2][1][3] As a noun, ⟨vōcālis⟩ “vowel” is short for ⟨littera vōcālis⟩, a calque of Greek Ancient Greek φωνῆεν (phōnêen, “vowel”).[1]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's earliest citations are from Varro, of having a voice and of vowels.[2] Köbler dates Varro 116–27 BC.[4]

Semantic evolution

It meant having an articulate voice, able to speak, as in Varro, of animals uttering sounds, as Pliny the Elder's birds vocal in song or human speech, and in Seneca of things sonorous.[2][5] In Horace it meant having a fine voice, and in Tibullus of instruments tuneful.[2] In Varro it meant in grammar of vowels, and in Cicero as a feminine noun a vowel.[2]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant spoken, vocal, speaking.[6] Medieval Latin used it as a noun for a church singer.[7] It was borrowed into Italian vocale and French vocal, and English vocal came in the late 14th century, of spoken prayer.[1][3] Its noun use gave Old French voieul and English vowel.[3]

Timeline

  • 116–27 BC – Varro uses it of speech and vowels.[2][4]
  • 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of a vowel.[2][4]
  • 65–8 BC – Horace uses it of a fine voice.[2][4]
  • late 14th century – English vocal is recorded.[3]

Meanings

Adjective

  1. Able to speak; uttering sounds; sonorous.[2]
  2. Having a fine voice; tuneful.[2]
  3. (grammar) Of vowels.[2]

Noun

  1. A vowel.[2]
  2. (Medieval Latin) A church singer.[7]

Word family

  • sēmivocālis
  • vōcālitās
  • vōcāliter
  • vōcālēs

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ a b c d Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  4. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  5. ^ Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
  6. ^ Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
  7. ^ a b Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill