palatum Latin · revision 32071

+ {{infobox|confidence=uncertain|attested=204–169 BC, Ennius}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

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

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

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''palātum''' ''n'' (genitive palātī); second declension^(Wiktionary)

+ A masculine ''palātus'' also occurs, as in Cicero.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ The origin is uncertain.^(TLL)^(OLD 2012) De Vaan suggests that it is an adjective in [[m|la|-ātus]] to a stem meaning flat or broad, from [[ine-pro|*plh₂-o-]] or [[m|ine-pro|*plh₂-u-]], comparing [[hit|palhi-|t=broad]], since the palate can be thought of as a flattened or vaulted part; the hill name [[m|la|Palātium]] could then be derived from it.^(de Vaan 2008) The OLD instead compares, with doubt, [[ett|falandum|t=sky]], and Etymonline reports Klein's view of an Etruscan origin.^(OLD 2012)^(Etymonline)

+

+ Isidore explained that the palate lies like the sky over the mouth, deriving it from [[m|la|polus]], the heavens.^(TLL)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Köbler dates it from Ennius,^(Köbler 2010) who speaks of the “vault of heaven”, a use the OLD takes as an imitation of [[grc|οὐρανός|tr=ouranós|t=sky; roof of the mouth]].^(OLD 2012) De Vaan's first author is Varro.^(de Vaan 2008)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Its ordinary sense is the roof of the mouth, the palate, also with reference to eating and drinking and as an organ of speech, as when Cicero says that images cannot speak without a tongue and a palate.^(OLD 2012) From this it means the sense of taste: Varro writes that even the large oysters of Baiae could not rouse a jaded palate.^(OLD 2012) Isidore notes that Greek also calls the palate “sky”.^(TLL) In Church Latin it means palate and taste.^(Stelten 1995) English borrowed ''palate'' in the late 14th century, partly through Old French.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 204–169 BC – Ennius of the vault of heaven.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 116–27 BC – Varro of the sense of taste.^(OLD 2012)^(de Vaan 2008)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 81–43 BC – Cicero of the palate as an organ of speech.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * c. 560–636 AD – Isidore compares the palate to the sky.^(TLL)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * late 14th century – Borrowed into English as [[m|en|palate]].^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # The roof of the mouth, [[m|en|palate]], also as used in eating and in speech.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(poetic)'' The [[m|en|vault]] or dome of heaven, the sky.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+ # The sense of [[m|en|taste]].^(OLD 2012)^(Stelten 1995)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[palātīnus]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[Palatium|alt=Palātium]]

+ * [[en|palate]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}