quam Latin · revision 17761
18 Oct 2026, 18:36 by bogdan “Latin la10k: aut, nec, de, a, ne, quam, ac, enim, nemo, per”
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+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=c. 450 BC, Twelve Tables|origins=ine-pro *kʷos}}
+
+ ==Pronunciation==
+ * IPA (Classical): [ˈkʷãː]^(Wiktionary)
+ * IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈkʷam]^(Wiktionary)
+
+ ==Forms==
+ '''quam''' ^(Wiktionary)
+
+ ==Etymology==
+ It is the old accusative singular feminine of the relative and interrogative stem (see [[quī]]), from [[ine-pro|*kʷeh₂m]], the feminine accusative of [[m|ine-pro|*kʷos]].^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary) The masculine counterpart is [[cum]] (old ⟨quom⟩), as [[tam]] stands beside [[tum]].^(Wiktionary) Ennius, Lucretius and Naevius also use a strengthened ⟨quamde⟩ or ⟨quande⟩.^(Lewis & Short 1879)
+
+ Cognate with [[osc|pan]].^(OLD 2012)
+
+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==
+ It is found in the Twelve Tables;^(Köbler 2010) Plautus has it in questions such as ''quam dūdum istuc factum est?'' “how long ago did that happen?”.^(OLD 2012)
+
+ ==Semantic evolution==
+ As an [[m|en|interrogative]] and exclamatory adverb ''quam'' means “how? how much!”; with ''[[tam]]'' it means “as” (''tam … quam'' “as … as”), and after a comparative “than”.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879) With a superlative it means “as … as possible” (''quam plūrimī'', ''quam prīmum'' “as soon as possible”), with or without ''possum''.^(OLD 2012)^(Stelten 1995) After verbs of preferring it means “rather than”.^(OLD 2012)
+
+ It is the base of many compounds: [[quamquam]], [[quamvīs]], [[postquam]], [[antequam]], [[priusquam]].^(Wiktionary)
+
+ ==Timeline==
+ * c. 450 BC – Used in the Twelve Tables.^(Köbler 2010)
+ * c. 235–200 BC – Naevius: ''perīre māvolunt … quam cum stuprō redīre'' “they prefer to die rather than return in disgrace”.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)
+ * c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses ''quam'' in questions and with ''tam''.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)
+
+ ==Meanings==
+ ===Adverb===
+ # ''(interrogative)'' [[m|en|how]]? to what degree?^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)
+ # ''(exclamatory)'' How! how much!^(OLD 2012)
+ # ''(with tam)'' As: ''tam … quam'', as … as.^(OLD 2012)^(Stelten 1995)
+ # ''(with a superlative)'' As … as possible: ''quam prīmum'', as soon as possible.^(OLD 2012)^(Stelten 1995)
+
+ ===Conjunction===
+ # ''(after a comparative)'' [[m|en|than]].^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)
+ # Rather than (after verbs of preferring).^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)
+
+ ==Word family==
+ * [[quamquam]]
+ * [[quamvīs]]
+ * [[quamdiū]]
+ * [[quamobrem]]
+ * [[quamprīmum]]
+ * [[postquam]]
+ * [[antequam]]
+ * [[priusquam]]
+ * [[tamquam]]
+ * [[nēquāquam]]
+ * [[perquam]]
+
+ ==Related words==
+ * [[quī]]
+ * [[cum]]
+ * [[tam]]
+
+ ==References==
+ {{reflist}}