attonitus Latin · revision 30995

+ {{infobox|confidence=probable|formation=derivation|attested=86–34 BC, Sallust|origins=ine-pro *(s)tenh₂-}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * Classical: [atˈtɔ.nɪ.tʊs]^(Wiktionary)

+ * Ecclesiastical: [atˈtɔː.ni.tus]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''attonitus''' (feminine attonita, neuter attonitum); first and second declension^(OLD 2012)

+ It is also spelled ''adtonitus''.^(OLD 2012)^(TLL)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is in origin the past participle of [[m|la|attonō|t=to stun, stupefy]], a verb formed [[af|la|ad-|tonō|t2=to thunder]].^(OLD 2012)^(TLL)^(Wiktionary) Wiktionary traces ⟨tonō⟩ through [[itc-pro|*tonaō]] to [[ine-pro|*(s)tenh₂-|t=to thunder]], and the OLD compares [[goh|donar|t=thunder]] and [[ang|þunor|t=thunder]].^(Wiktionary)^(OLD 2012) Servius says that the word properly means someone near whom lightning has struck, stunned by the thunder.^(TLL)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The TLL finds it once in Sallust's ''Histories'', of a man struck as if by terror (''quasi formīdine attonitus''); it is common in prose from Livy on and in poetry from Virgil on.^(TLL)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Its literal sense is struck by lightning or stunned by thunder, and Celsus uses it of people struck senseless by lightning or by a seizure.^(OLD 2012)^(TLL) Most often it is stupefied by an emotion: paralysed by fear, as Virgil's snakes, stunned by grief, dumbfounded with wonder, or awed, as Aeneas at the gods' command.^(OLD 2012) Horace's poet is ''attonitus'' in divine frenzy, Livy's revellers are crazed with wine and noise, and Pliny the Elder has Britain absorbed in magic.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ Church Latin glosses it “stunned, astonished”.^(Stelten 1995)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 86–34 BC – Sallust of someone struck with terror.^(TLL)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 70–19 BC – Virgil of fear, wonder and awe.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 59 BC–17 AD – Livy of people crazed by wine and noise.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 14–37 AD – Celsus of people struck by lightning or a seizure.^(TLL)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 23/24–79 AD – Pliny the Elder in the sense “absorbed in”.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Struck by [[m|en|lightning]]; stunned by thunder or a [[m|en|seizure]].^(OLD 2012)^(TLL)

+ # [[m|en|stupefied|alt=Stupefied]], dazed (by fear, grief or wonder); awestruck.^(OLD 2012)^(Stelten 1995)

+ # [[m|en|inspired|alt=Inspired]], in a divine frenzy.^(OLD 2012)

+ # Crazed, frantic.^(OLD 2012)

+ # Intent (on), absorbed (in).^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[attonō]]

+ * [[tonō]]

+ * [[tonitrus]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ Döderlein distinguishes ''attonitus'', “thunderstruck”, a passing state, from [[stupēns]], a lasting, petrified one;^(Döderlein 1874) Curtius has ''attonitī et stupentibus similēs''.^(Döderlein 1874)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}