recte Latin · revision 18168

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=c. 250–184 BC, Plautus|origins=ine-pro *h₃reǵ-}}

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''rēctē''' (comparative rēctius, superlative rēctissimē)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is formed from [[m|la|rēctus|t=straight, right]] with the adverb ending ⟨-ē⟩;^(OLD 2012) Wiktionary traces it to [[itc-pro|*rektēd]].^(Wiktionary) [[m|la|rēctus]] is the past participle of [[m|la|regō|t=to direct, rule]], which goes back to [[ine-pro|*h₃reǵ-|t=to stretch, direct]]; a Faliscan inscription has an adverb ⟨rected⟩, and Umbrian has ⟨rehte⟩ “right”.^(de Vaan 2008)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Köbler dates it from Cato,^(Köbler 2010) but the OLD cites Plautus: ''nōn surda es, era: rēctē audīvistī'', “you are not deaf, mistress: you heard right”, and ''rēctē dīcit'', “he speaks the truth”.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ ''Rēctē'' is “upright, vertically” (Cato of training a vine), “without error, correctly”, and “in accordance with the facts, rightly”.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary) It is “properly, as it ought to be done”, “according to the rules” (Accius: ''rēctē perfectīs sacrīs'', “the rites duly performed”) and “with moral rectitude” (Plautus: ''sat habet fautōrum semper quī rēctē facit'', “he who acts rightly always has supporters enough”).^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary) It also means “with good reason”, “thoroughly, well”, and “as one would wish” (''quae rēs rēctē vortat'', “may it turn out well”).^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary) Used alone it expresses approval, “quite right!”, often ironically.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ Wiktionary adds the legal sense “lawfully” and “justly, fairly”.^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 250–184 BC – Plautus: ''rēctē audīvistī'';^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010) ''quī rēctē facit''.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 234–149 BC – Cato uses it of training a vine upright.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 204–169 BC – Ennius uses it of things going well for Rome.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 170–c. 90 BC – Accius: ''rēctē perfectīs sacrīs''.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adverb===

+ # Upright, [[m|en|vertically]].^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Correctly, accurately.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Rightly, truly.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Properly; according to the rules; [[m|en|lawfully]].^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Rightly, with moral [[m|en|rectitude]]; justly.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+ # With good reason, justifiably.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Thoroughly, well; as one would wish.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Quite right! (approval, often ironic).^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[rēctus]]

+ * [[regō]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}