coepio Latin · revision 17826

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=204–169 BC, Ennius|origins=ine-pro *h₁ep-}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA (Classical): [ˈkoe̯.pi.oː]^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈt͡ʃɛː.pi.o]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''coepiō''' (present infinitive coepere, perfect active coepī, supine coeptum); third (-iō variant) conjugation^(Wiktionary)

+ Normally only the perfect stem is used: ''coepī'', ''coepisse'', ''coeptum''.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+ Present-stem forms (''coepiam'', ''coepiat'', ''coepere'') appear in Plautus, Cato, Caecilius and Terence.^(OLD 2012)

+ In Plautus and Lucretius ''coēpī'' is sometimes trisyllabic.^(OLD 2012)

+ The future participle ''coeptūrus'' is used by Livy, Quintilian, Pliny and Suetonius.^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+ The present ''coepiō'' with a full conjugation is a post-classical back-formation from ''coepī''.^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is formed [[af|la|co-|apiō|t2=to fasten, tie]], “to lay hold of”; the present ⟨coepiō⟩ is a rare early form beside the common perfect ⟨coepī⟩.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)^(de Vaan 2008) The perfect goes back to ⟨*co-ēpī⟩, with the long-vowel perfect of [[ine-pro|*h₁e-h₁p-]], contracted, or it was influenced by the participle ⟨coeptus⟩ from ⟨*ko-aptos⟩.^(de Vaan 2008)

+

+ The simple verbs [[apīscor]] “to seize, obtain” and [[m|la|apiō]] continue [[itc-pro|*ap-(e)i-|t=to get, seize]], from [[ine-pro|*h₁p-i-|t=to get, grab]]; compare [[hit|epp-|t=to take, grab]] and [[sa|आप|tr=ā́pa|t=has reached]].^(de Vaan 2008)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Ennius writes ''signum cum dare coepisset'', “when he had begun to give the signal”,^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010) and Plautus ''coepī observāre'' “I began to watch”.^(OLD 2012) De Vaan dates the present ''coepiō'' from Plautus.^(de Vaan 2008)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ ''Coepī'' means “I began”, with an infinitive (''flūmen trānsīre coepērunt''); with a passive infinitive the passive form is used (''pōns īnstituī coeptus est'' “the building of the bridge was begun”).^(OLD 2012) It is used absolutely, “to begin (to speak)”, with an accusative object, “to begin, set on foot”, and intransitively of events, “to begin” (''ubi silentium coepit'').^(OLD 2012) The participle ''coeptus'' means “begun” and, with an active sense, “having begun”.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ The noun ''[[coeptum]]'' “undertaking” and the frequentative ''[[coeptō]]'' “to begin” are formed from it.^(de Vaan 2008)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 204–169 BC – Ennius: ''signum cum dare coepisset''.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses the present ''coepiam'' and the trisyllabic ''coēpī''.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 234–149 BC – Cato: ''ubi pirus flōrēre coeperit'', “when the pear tree begins to flower”.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * c. 50 BC – Caesar: ''pōns īnstituī coeptus est''.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 70–19 BC – Virgil: ''carmina coepta'', “songs begun”.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Verb===

+ # To [[m|en|begin]] (to do something), commence;^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879) ''(passive with passive infinitive)'' to begin to be done.^(OLD 2012)

+ # ''(absolute)'' To begin;^(OLD 2012) to begin to speak.^(OLD 2012)

+ # ''(with accusative)'' To begin, [[m|en|initiate]], set on foot.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(intransitive)'' To begin, be begun.^(OLD 2012)

+ # ''(participle coeptus)'' Begun; having begun.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[coeptō]]

+ * [[coeptum]]

+ * [[coeptus]]

+ * [[cōpula]]

+ * [[incoeptus]]

+ * [[praecoepi]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[apīscor]]

+ * [[aptus]]

+ * [[incipiō]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}