amans Latin · revision 18118

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=190–159 BC, Terence|origins=ine-pro *h₃mh₃-}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA (Classical): [ˈa.mãːs]^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈaː.mans]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''amāns''' ''m'' or f (genitive amantis); third declension^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is the present participle of [[m|la|amō|t=to love]], used as an adjective and a noun.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)^(Lewis & Short 1879) De Vaan derives [[m|la|amō]] from [[itc-pro|*ama-|t=to take, hold]], from [[ine-pro|*h₃mh₃-|t=to take hold of]], with cognates such as [[grc|ὄμνυμι|tr=ómnumi|t=to swear]]; the Latin meaning would have developed from “to take someone's hand” to “to regard as a friend”.^(de Vaan 2008)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Köbler dates the noun from Terence and the adjective from Cicero.^(Köbler 2010) The ''Rhetorica ad Herennium'' has ''vester … animus amantissimus reī pūblicae'', “your spirit, most devoted to the state”.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ As an adjective ''amāns'' is “fond of, devoted to”, usually with a genitive (Cicero: ''genus hoc ūniversum amantissimum est ōtī'', “this whole class is most devoted to peace”), and of words and things “loving, affectionate”.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary) In epitaphs it is also passive, “beloved, dear”: ''fīliae … ab omnibus amantissimae'', “to a daughter much loved by all”.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ As a noun ''amāns'' is a person who loves, especially “a lover, sweetheart”.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 190–159 BC – Terence uses the noun.^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 86/82 BC – The ''Rhetorica ad Herennium'': ''animus amantissimus reī pūblicae''.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 81–43 BC – Cicero: ''amantissimum … ōtī''.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # [[m|en|fond]] (of), devoted (to), loving.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Loving, [[m|en|affectionate]] (of words or things).^(OLD 2012)

+ # ''(passive)'' Beloved, dear.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ===Noun===

+ # A [[m|en|lover]], sweetheart; a person who is fond of someone.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[amō]]

+ * [[amor]]

+ * [[amātor]]

+ * [[amīcus]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ Döderlein distinguishes ''[[amīcus]]'', a calm and sincere affection that implies reciprocity, from ''amāns'' and ''[[amātor]]'', a more ardent feeling that need not be returned;^(Döderlein 1874) ''amāns'' describes it as a passing state, ''amātor'' as a habit.^(Döderlein 1874) Cicero says ''aliud est amātōrem esse, aliud amantem'', “it is one thing to be a lover by habit, another to be in love”.^(Döderlein 1874)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}