incertus Latin · revision 17921

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=c. 250–184 BC, Plautus|origins=ine-pro *kri-tó-}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA (Classical): [ɪŋˈkɛr.tʊs]^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA (Ecclesiastical): [in̠ʲˈt͡ʃɛr.tus]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''incertus''' (feminine incerta, neuter incertum, comparative incertior, superlative incertissimus); first/second-declension adjective^(Wiktionary)

+ Pacuvius has an archaic genitive plural ''incertum''.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is formed [[af|la|in-|certus|t2=fixed, certain]].^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(TLL)^(Wiktionary) The TLL compares [[grc|ἄκριτος|tr=ákritos|t=undecided]].^(TLL) De Vaan explains [[m|la|certus]] as the old past participle of [[cernō]] “to distinguish”, from [[itc-pro|*krito-]], from [[ine-pro|*kri-tó-|t=sifted]], like [[grc|κριτός|tr=kritós|t=chosen]].^(de Vaan 2008)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ De Vaan dates it from Plautus,^(de Vaan 2008) who has ''eccum quī ex incertō faciet mihi quod quaerō certius'', “here is the man who will make what I am looking for certain instead of uncertain”.^(OLD 2012) Köbler cites it from Ennius.^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ ''Incertus'' is first “not fixed, not determined” (of fevers, without a regular cycle), “not specified” (''in incertum'', “for an indefinite time”), and of battles “undecided”.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879) It means “not sure to happen”, “not dependable, unsafe”, “not clearly known, doubtful” and “unknown” (Plautus: ''in incertās regiōnēs'', “into unknown regions”).^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary) Of persons it is “unable to decide, hesitant, irresolute” and “unsure, doubting”;^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary) ''incertum est mihi'' is “I cannot make up my mind”.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary) As a noun ''incertum'' is uncertainty.^(Wiktionary)^(Stelten 1995)

+

+ Church Latin glosses it “uncertain, hidden, doubtful, vague, undecided, hesitating, irresolute”.^(Stelten 1995)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 250–184 BC – Plautus: ''ex incertō … certius'';^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010) ''in incertās regiōnēs''.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 220–130 BC – Pacuvius has the genitive plural ''incertum''.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 190–159 BC – Terence: ''quae nunc sunt certa cōnsilia, incerta ut sient'', “so that plans now fixed become unsettled”.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 81–43 BC – Cicero: ''iūdicium est pecūniae certae, arbitrium incertae'', “a trial is for a fixed sum, an arbitration for an unfixed one”.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Not fixed, not determined; not specified.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+ # Undecided (of battles and disputes).^(OLD 2012)

+ # Not sure to happen; not dependable.^(OLD 2012)

+ # [[m|en|uncertain]], [[m|en|doubtful]], unknown, obscure.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Wiktionary)^(Stelten 1995)

+ # ''(of persons)'' Hesitant, irresolute; unsure.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)^(Stelten 1995)

+

+ ===Noun===

+ # ''(incertum)'' Uncertainty.^(Wiktionary)^(Stelten 1995)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[incertum]]

+ * [[perincertus]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[certus]]

+ * [[cernō]]

+ * [[dubius]]

+ * [[anceps]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}