ambigo Latin · revision 32248

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=190–159 BC, Terence|origins=ine-pro *h₂eǵ-e/o-}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * Classical: [ˈam.bɪ.ɡoː]^(Wiktionary)

+ * Ecclesiastical: [ˈam.bi.ɡo]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''ambigō''' (present infinitive ambigere); third conjugation, no perfect or supine stems, third person-only in the passive^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[af|la|ambi-|agō|t1=around|t2=to drive, lead]].^(OLD 2012)^(TLL)^(Wiktionary) De Vaan traces [[m|la|agō]] to [[itc-pro|*ag-e/o-|t=to do, act]] and [[ine-pro|*h₂eǵ-e/o-|t=to drive, lead]].^(de Vaan 2008) Cognate with [[osc|acum|t=to act (legally)]], [[sga|aigid|t=drives]] and [[grc|ἄγω|tr=ágō|t=to drive, lead]].^(de Vaan 2008)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The OLD's first example is in Terence's ''Heauton Timorumenos'': “Simus and Crito are disputing here about boundaries”.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ It means to dispute or contend, and especially to be undecided, to doubt, as Velleius' “if anyone doubts this”.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879) Transitively it is to call into question or argue about, and in the passive to be in doubt; the impersonal passive ''ambigitur'', there is a dispute, appears already in a law on an inscription.^(OLD 2012) Tacitus uses it once in its literal sense, of going round one's homeland and avoiding it.^(Lewis & Short 1879) It has no perfect: the TLL finds one only in grammarians.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(TLL) Church Latin glosses it to doubt.^(Stelten 1995)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 190–159 BC – Terence of a boundary dispute.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * c. 20 BC–30 AD – Velleius of doubting.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 98–115 AD – Tacitus of going around a place.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Verb===

+ # To go about or around.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Wiktionary)

+ # To [[m|en|dispute]], quarrel, contend.^(OLD 2012)

+ # To be undecided or uncertain, to [[m|en|doubt]], hesitate, waver.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Transitively, to call in question, argue about; in the passive, to be at issue; impersonally, there is a doubt or dispute.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[ambiguus]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[ambages|alt=ambāgēs]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}