voco

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [ˈwɔ.koː]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈvɔː.ko]^[1]

Forms

vocō (present infinitive vocāre, perfect active vocāvī, supine vocātum); first conjugation^[1]

Etymology

It is a verb made from the oblique stem *u̯okʷ- of vōx “voice”, perhaps through an intermediate *u̯okʷ-ā- “call”.^[2][1] Vox is inherited from Proto-Italic *wōkʷs, inherited from Proto-Indo-European *uōkʷ-s (“voice”).^[2]

Compare Umbrian subocauu (“I invoke”),^[2] Sanskrit वक्ति (vakti, “speaks”) and Ancient Greek ἔπος (épos, “word”).^[3][4]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is found from the Laws of the Twelve Tables onwards.^[2] In Plautus a master calls out “hey, Staphyla, I'm calling you”.^[3]

Semantic evolution

It meant to call a person, to summon, to invite a guest, as Terence's “whom shall I invite to dinner?”, and to summon officially, as the tribunes calling the senate in Cicero and Virgil's father of the gods calling a council.^[3] It meant to challenge to a fight, to call for or demand, and to call someone to an activity, as Cicero's “you always call me to write”.^[3]

It meant to bring into a condition, as ad pugnam vocare, and with a predicate to call or name, as Plautus' “you're not sane, calling me a thief”.^[3] English vocation and invoke come from its derivatives.^[5]

Timeline

• c. 450 BC – The Twelve Tables use it.^[2][6]
• c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it of calling and naming.^[3][6]
• 190–159 BC – Terence uses it of inviting to dinner.^[3][6]
• 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of summoning the senate.^[3][6]
• early 15th century – English vocation comes from its derivative vocatio.^[5]

Meanings

Verb

1. To call (a person).^[3][1]
2. To summon, call.^[3][1]
3. To invite (a guest).^[3]
4. To convene, summon officially.^[3][1]
5. To challenge (to a contest).^[3]
6. To call for, demand; to invoke (a god).^[3][1]
7. To call (to an activity).^[3]
8. To bring (into a condition).^[3][1]
9. To call, name.^[3][1]

Word family

• advocō
• āvocō
• convocō
• ēvocō
• invocō
• prōvocō
• revocō
• vocābilis
• vocābulum
• vocāmen
• vocātiō
• vocātīvē

Related words

• vōcālis
• vōcālitās
• vōcāliter
• vocātōrius
• vōcula
• vōculātiō
• vōx
• English vocation
• English invoke

Usage notes

Döderlein distinguishes nominare, calling someone by the name he already has, and nuncupare, giving a name, from appellare and vocare.^[7]

References

1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ 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
3. ^ 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
4. ^ Georges, Karl Ernst (1913–1918), Ausführliches lateinisch-deutsches Handwörterbuch, 8th ed., ed. Heinrich Georges, Hannover; Leipzig: Hahn
5. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
6. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
7. ^ Döderlein, Ludwig (1874), Döderlein’s Hand-book of Latin Synonymes, tr. H. H. Arnold, Andover: W. F. Draper