talentum Latin · revision 31487

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=c. 250–184 BC, Plautus|origins=grc τάλαντον}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * Classical: [taˈɫɛn.tũː]^(Wiktionary)

+ * Ecclesiastical: [taˈlɛn.tum]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''talentum''' ''n'' (genitive talentī); second declension^(Wiktionary)

+ The genitive plural is usually ''talentum'', rarely ''talentōrum''.^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|grc|τάλαντον|tr=tálanton|t=balance; a weight; a talent]].^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)^(Köbler 2010) The Greek word is traced to [[ine-pro|*telh₂-|t=to lift, bear, weigh]].^(Wiktionary)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The OLD's earliest quotation is Plautus, who has a man who brought ten talents as a dowry.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ It is a Greek unit of weight of sixty minae, as Vitruvius' weight of four thousand talents, and a talent of silver as a sum of money;^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Wiktionary) ''talentum magnum'' seems to be the Attic talent.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ In Late Latin it was used figuratively of a gift from God,^(Wiktionary) and Etymonline ties this to the parable of the talents in Matthew.^(Etymonline) In medieval Latin it is also a pound, a natural talent or aptitude, and an inclination or desire.^(Niermeyer 1976)^(Wiktionary) English ''talent'' came through Old French from the medieval sense “inclination, will” in the late 13th century; the sense “gift, ability” developed by the mid-15th century.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 250–184 BC – Plautus of a dowry of ten talents.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * c. 84–c. 25 BC – Vitruvius of a weight in talents.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 11th century – Medieval Latin “inclination, desire”.^(Etymonline)

+ * late 13th century – English [[m|en|talent]], “inclination”.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A [[m|en|talent]], a Greek unit of weight of sixty minae.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Wiktionary)^(Stelten 1995)

+ # A talent of silver as a sum of money.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(Late Latin)'' A gift from God, grace.^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(Medieval Latin)'' A [[m|en|pound]].^(Niermeyer 1976)

+ # ''(Medieval Latin)'' A natural gift, aptitude.^(Niermeyer 1976)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(Medieval Latin)'' An inclination, desire.^(Niermeyer 1976)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[sēmitalentum]]

+ * [[talentārius]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[mina]]

+ * [[drachma]]

+ * [[en|talent]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}