certo Latin · revision 18130

+ {{homograph|1|contend}}

+

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

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA (Classical): [ˈkɛr.toː]^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈt͡ʃɛr.to]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''certō''' (present infinitive certāre, perfect active certāvī, supine certātum); first conjugation^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ The verb “to contend” is formed [[af|la|cernō|-tō|t1=to sift, decide]], a frequentative built on the old participle [[m|la|certus|t=decided]].^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Wiktionary) L&S take the first sense to be “to decide something by a contest”.^(Lewis & Short 1879) De Vaan derives [[m|la|cernō]] from [[itc-pro|*krin-e/o-]] and its old participle from [[itc-pro|*kritos]], from [[ine-pro|*krey-|t=to sift, separate]].^(de Vaan 2008)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Plautus has it of rivalry: ''stultus atque īnsānus damnīs certant'', “the fool and the madman vie in losses”.^(OLD 2012) Ennius uses it of battle and of rivalry: ''certābant urbem Rōmam Remoramne vocārent'', “they disputed whether to call the city Rome or Remora”.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ ''Certāre'' is to contend for superiority, “to vie, compete” (Cicero: ''ut ūtilitās cum honestāte certet'', “that advantage should vie with honour”), to fight in battle, and in the passive to be fought over (Ovid).^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879) It is used of contests in sport, of disputes in argument, of lawsuits (Cicero: ''dē spōnsiōne certāret'', “should go to law about the wager”) and of political struggles.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary) L&S stress that it implies great exertion and a measuring of strength.^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+

+ Church Latin glosses it “to fight, contend, struggle”.^(Stelten 1995)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 250–184 BC – Plautus: ''damnīs certant''.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 204–169 BC – Ennius uses it of battle and of the naming of Rome.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of rivalry and of lawsuits.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Verb===

+ # To [[m|en|contend]], [[m|en|vie]] (for superiority), emulate.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Wiktionary)

+ # To fight (in battle);^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)^(Stelten 1995) ''(passive)'' to be fought over.^(OLD 2012)

+ # To [[m|en|compete]] (in a sporting or other contest).^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+ # To dispute, argue.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+ # To contend at law;^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary) to contest (a matter).^(OLD 2012)

+ # To engage in political struggle.^(OLD 2012)

+ # To strive, try hard (with an infinitive).^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[certāmen]]

+ * [[certātim]]

+ * [[certātiō]]

+ * [[certātor]]

+ * [[concertō]]

+ * [[dēcertō]]

+

+ {{homograph|2|certainly}}

+

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

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA (Classical): [ˈkɛr.toː]^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈt͡ʃɛr.to]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''certō''' (comparative certius, superlative certissimē)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ The adverb “certainly” is formed [[af|la|certus|-ō|t1=sure, certain]], an adverb in ⟨-ō⟩ beside [[certē]].^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary) [[m|la|certus]] is the old past participle of [[m|la|cernō|t=to sift, decide]], from [[itc-pro|*kritos]], from [[ine-pro|*kri-to-]] and [[m|ine-pro|*krey-|t=to sift, separate]].^(de Vaan 2008)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Plautus has ''mihi certō nōmen Sōsiaest'', “my name is certainly Sosia”, and uses it alone in answers, “certainly”.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010) Köbler first records it from Terence.^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ ''Certō'' is “certainly, for a fact”, often as an answer (Plautus: ''esne tū Syrācūsānus? – certō'').^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary) With ''sciō'' it means “to know for certain”, the commonest use.^(OLD 2012) It also means “firmly, dependably” (''ūnum quidem hercle certō prōmittō tibi'', “one thing I promise you for sure”), and the comparative ''certius'' is “more definitely” (Cicero: ''dē Curtiō ad mē rescrībe certius'', “write back to me more definitely about Curtius”).^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 250–184 BC – Plautus: ''mihi certō nōmen Sōsiaest''.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

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

+ * 81–43 BC – Cicero uses the comparative ''certius''.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adverb===

+ # [[m|en|certainly]], for a fact;^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary) certainly! (in answers).^(OLD 2012)

+ # ''certō sciō'': to know for certain.^(OLD 2012)

+ # Firmly, [[m|en|surely]], dependably.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(comparative certius)'' More definitely.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[cernō]]

+ * [[certus]]

+ * [[certē]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}