saltem Latin · revision 30985

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

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * Classical: [ˈsaɫ.tẽː]^(Wiktionary)

+ * Ecclesiastical: [ˈsal.tem]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''saltem''' (not comparable)^(Wiktionary)

+ The spelling ''saltim'' appears from Ovid on.^(de Vaan 2008)^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ The origin is uncertain.^(de Vaan 2008)^(OLD 2012) Walde and Hofmann take it from a phrase “if otherwise” with [[m|la|sī|t=if]] and an old adverb related to [[m|la|aliter|t=otherwise]], and Köbler follows this, comparing [[m|la|item|t=likewise]]; de Vaan finds the loss of the vowel and the sense hard to explain.^(de Vaan 2008)^(Köbler 2010) He suggests instead an old accusative of a noun “leap” from [[m|la|saliō|t=to jump]], used as an adverb “by leaps”, then “certainly, at least”.^(de Vaan 2008) Lewis and Short and Wiktionary connect it with [[m|la|salvus|t=safe]] and [[m|la|salūs|t=safety]], properly “saved, reserved”.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ De Vaan gives Plautus as its first author.^(de Vaan 2008) In the ''Mercator'' someone is told ''at saltem hominis faciem exquīrerēs'', “you might at least have asked what the man looked like”.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ It narrows a claim to something smaller or more feasible, “at least, at all events”, and stands in the main clause of conditions, as Plautus' Sosia asks who he is at least, if not Sosia.^(OLD 2012) In negative clauses it means “even, so much as”, as Terence's master complains that he was not even shown respect.^(OLD 2012) Lewis and Short explain it as marking what still holds good when the rest falls away.^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+

+ Church Latin has it as “at least”, and ''nē saltem'', ''neque saltem'' or ''nōn saltem'' as “not even”.^(Stelten 1995)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 250–184 BC – Plautus in the sense “at least”.^(de Vaan 2008)^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 190–159 BC – Terence in the sense “even”.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 43 BC–18 AD – Ovid with the spelling ''saltim''.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adverb===

+ # At least, at all events, [[m|en|anyhow]].^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)^(Stelten 1995)

+ # ''(in negative clauses)'' Even, so much as;^(OLD 2012)^(Stelten 1995) ''nē saltem'', not even.^(OLD 2012)^(Stelten 1995)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[saliō]]

+ * [[salvus]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}