numquam Latin · revision 17806

18 Oct 2026, 18:51 by bogdan “Latin la10k batch la75b-01”
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+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=compound|attested=c. 280–200 BC, Livius Andronicus|origins=la umquam}}
+ 
+ ==Pronunciation==
+ * IPA (Classical): [ˈnʊŋ.kʷãː]^(Wiktionary)
+ * IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈnum.kʷam]^(Wiktionary)
+ 
+ ==Forms==
+ '''numquam''' (not comparable)^(Wiktionary)
+ The spelling ''nunquam'' is perhaps not pre-Augustan;^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879) ''numquam'' prevails before the Augustan age.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)
+ 
+ ==Etymology==
+ It is formed [[af|la|ne-|umquam]], “not ever”.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)^(de Vaan 2008) De Vaan explains [[m|la|umquam]] as probably ⟨*kʷum⟩, a remodelled form of the accusative [[ine-pro|*kʷom|t=when]] (see [[cum]]), with the suffix ⟨-quam⟩.^(de Vaan 2008)
+ 
+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==
+ It is found from Livius Andronicus on.^(de Vaan 2008)^(Köbler 2010) Plautus writes ''mēquidem praesente numquam factumst'', “it never happened while I was there”.^(OLD 2012)
+ 
+ ==Semantic evolution==
+ ''Numquam'' means “never, at no time”, often with a limiting phrase (''numquam ante hunc diem''), or with ''nisi'' (“never except”).^(OLD 2012) ''Numquam nōn'' means “always” and ''nōn numquam'' “sometimes” (see ''[[nōnnumquam]]'').^(OLD 2012)
+ 
+ It also means “in no circumstances”, especially in promises and warnings (''numquam tē patiar perīre'' “I shall never let you die”).^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)
+ 
+ ==Timeline==
+ * c. 280–200 BC – First found in Livius Andronicus.^(de Vaan 2008)^(Köbler 2010)
+ * c. 250–184 BC – Plautus: ''numquam tē patiar perīre''.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)
+ * 81–43 BC – Cicero uses ''numquam nōn'' for “always”.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)
+ 
+ ==Meanings==
+ ===Adverb===
+ # [[m|en|never]], at no time.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)
+ # ''numquam nisi'', never except, only;^(OLD 2012) ''numquam nōn'', always.^(OLD 2012)
+ # In no circumstances, not at all.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)
+ 
+ ==Word family==
+ * [[nōnnumquam]]
+ 
+ ==Related words==
+ * [[umquam]]
+ * [[semper]]
+ * [[nēmō]]
+ 
+ ==References==
+ {{reflist}}