en Latin · revision 30761

+ {{infobox|confidence=disputed|attested=c. 250–184 BC, Plautus}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * Classical: [ˈeːn]^(Wiktionary)

+ * Ecclesiastical: [ˈɛn]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''ēn''' ^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ The origin is uncertain.^(de Vaan 2008)^(OLD 2012) De Vaan holds that at least part of the Latin uses, especially from Virgil on, are the identical interjection [[grc|ἤν|tr=ḗn|t=look!]], which the OLD also gives.^(de Vaan 2008)^(OLD 2012) For Old Latin ⟨ēn umquam⟩ “ever?” he finds Leumann's derivation from ⟨*est-ne⟩ “is it not?” plausible; since neither explanation covers every use, Latin may also have inherited a particle [[ine-pro|*h₁ēn]].^(de Vaan 2008) Köbler too sets up a Proto-Indo-European interjection, after Pokorny.^(Köbler 2010) Lewis & Short report Ribbeck's view that it is an old interjection ⟨e⟩ with the enclitic [[m|la|-ne]], as in [[m|la|quīn]].^(Lewis & Short 1879) The OLD finds the link between the questioning use and “behold!” obscure.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Plautus has it only in ''ēn umquam'' “ever?” in eager questions: ''sed tū ēn umquam cum quīquam virō cōnsuēvistī?'', “but have you ever been with any man?” (''Cistellaria'').^(OLD 2012)^(de Vaan 2008)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Old Latin uses ''ēn'' only with [[umquam]], and the pair is often written as one word.^(de Vaan 2008)^(OLD 2012) From Cicero on it calls attention to something, “look! see!”, often ironically: it introduces a sentence, an exclamation, an accusative (''ēn meam mānsuētūdinem!'', “see how mild I am!”, Cicero) or a nominative (''ēn Priamus'', Virgil), and sarcastic questions (''ēn haec prōmissa fidēs est?'', “is this the faith you promised?”, Virgil).^(OLD 2012) With an imperative it urges someone on, “come on!” (''ēn accipe'', Virgil).^(OLD 2012) Lewis & Short note that it is most frequent in Virgil, while Plautus and Terence often use [[em]] instead.^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+

+ Döderlein distinguishes ''ēn'', “see here what was hidden from you”, from [[ecce]], “see there what you had not noticed”.^(Döderlein 1874) Church Latin glosses it “lo, behold”.^(Stelten 1995)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 250–184 BC – Plautus: ''ēn umquam'' in questions.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 81–43 BC – Cicero's letters: ''ēn meam mānsuētūdinem!''.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 70–19 BC – Virgil, its most frequent user, with nominatives, sarcastic questions and imperatives.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Interjection===

+ # ''(with [[umquam]], in eager questions)'' Ever? at all?^(OLD 2012)

+ # [[m|en|look|alt=Look]]! see! [[m|en|behold]]! [[m|en|lo]]!^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Stelten 1995)

+ # ''(with an imperative)'' Come on! here!^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[ēnumquam]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[em]]

+ * [[hem]]

+ * [[ecce]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ Old Latin also had ''en'' as a form of the preposition [[in]], and ''en'' is the name of the letter N.^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}