nequeo Latin · revision 30804

+ {{infobox|confidence=probable|formation=compound|attested=280/260–before 200 BC, Livius Andronicus|origins=la neque, la eō}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * Classical: [ˈnɛ.kʷe.oː]^(Wiktionary)

+ * Ecclesiastical: [ˈnɛː.kʷe.o]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''nequeō''' (present infinitive nequīre, perfect active nequiī or nequīvī, supine nequitum); irregular conjugation^(Wiktionary)

+ It is conjugated like [[eō]]: ''nequeō, nequīs, nequit, nequīmus, nequītis, nequeunt''.^(OLD 2012)

+ Livius Andronicus has the archaic third person plural ''nequinont''.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[af|la|neque|eō|t1=not|t2=to go]].^(Wiktionary) The OLD and the TLL derive it from an impersonal phrase ⟨neque it⟩ or ⟨neque itur⟩, “it does not go, it cannot be done”, which became the personal verb “I cannot”.^(OLD 2012)^(TLL) The TLL adds that [[m|la|queō|t=to be able]] was then made from it by back-formation, as [[m|la|sciō]] stands beside [[m|la|nesciō]].^(TLL)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Festus quotes the Odyssey of Livius Andronicus: ''partim errant, nequinont Graeciam redīre'', “some wander, unable to return to Greece”.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ ''Nequeō'' means “to be unable, cannot”, mostly with an infinitive, which may be understood from the context (Plautus).^(OLD 2012) It also has a passive with a passive infinitive (''ut nequītur comprimī!'', Plautus, Cato), and with ''quīn'' means “to be unable to help (doing)”: ''nequeō quīn fleam'', “I can't help weeping”.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+

+ Church Latin glosses it “to be unable”.^(Stelten 1995)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 280/260–before 200 BC – Livius Andronicus: ''nequinont Graeciam redīre''.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * c. 250–184 BC – Plautus: ''nequeō quīn fleam''.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 234–149 BC – Cato has the passive ''nequitum''.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Verb===

+ # To be [[m|en|unable]], cannot (with infinitive).^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Wiktionary)^(Stelten 1995)

+ # ''(passive, with passive infinitive)'' It cannot be (done).^(OLD 2012)

+ # ''nequeō quīn'', to be unable to keep from (doing).^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[queō]]

+ * [[eō]]

+ * [[neque]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}