aut Latin · revision 17766

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=c. 450 BC, Twelve Tables|origins=ine-pro *h₂eu}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA (Classical): [ˈau̯t]^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈau̯t]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''aut''' ^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|itc-pro|*auti]] (or ⟨*aute⟩), from [[ine-pro|*h₂eu|t=away]].^(de Vaan 2008)^(Wiktionary) Wiktionary gives the PIE form as [[m|ine-pro|*h₂ewti|t=on the other hand]].^(Wiktionary) The same base, with an added ⟨-m⟩, gives [[autem]].^(de Vaan 2008)

+

+ Cognate with [[osc|aut|t=but, or]] and [[m|osc|auti|t=or]], [[xum|ute|t=or]], [[grc|αὖ|tr=aû|t=again, on the contrary]] and [[m|grc|αὐτάρ|tr=autár]], and [[sa|अव|tr=áva|t=off, down]].^(de Vaan 2008)^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ It appears in the Twelve Tables, which order a debtor to be bound ''aut nervō aut compedibus'' “either with a cord or with fetters”.^(OLD 2012)^(TLL)^(de Vaan 2008)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ ''Aut'' sets out alternatives that exclude each other (“either … or”), or the possible courses in a situation; after a negative it excludes all of them (“nor”).^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879) It also introduces a correction (“or rather”), an approximate figure (''aut summum'' “or at most”, ''plūs aut minus'' “more or less”), and a threat after a command (“or else”).^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ In Medieval Latin it could simply mean “and”.^(Niermeyer 1976)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 450 BC – ''aut nervō aut compedibus'' in the Twelve Tables.^(OLD 2012)^(TLL)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 204–169 BC – Ennius: ''aut intrā mūrōs aut extrā''.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 81–43 BC – Cicero writes ''biduō aut summum triduō'', “in two or at most three days”.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * c. 550–1150 – Medieval Latin also uses it for “and”.^(Niermeyer 1976)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Conjunction===

+ # [[m|en|or]];^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879) ''aut … aut'', [[m|en|either]] … or.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+ # ''(after a negative)'' Nor, or.^(OLD 2012)

+ # Or rather, or at least (correcting).^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(with numbers)'' Or about;^(OLD 2012) ''plūs aut minus'', more or less.^(OLD 2012)

+ # Or else, otherwise (after a command).^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(Medieval Latin)'' And.^(Niermeyer 1976)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[autem]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[vel]]

+ * [[sīve]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}