singultus Latin · revision 33023

+ {{infobox|confidence=uncertain|attested=96–55 BC, Lucretius}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

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

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

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''singultus''' ''m'' (genitive singultūs); fourth declension^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ The origin is uncertain.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary) De Vaan reports Leumann's view that it comes from an older verb ⟨*sing-ulāre⟩, with the suffix of other verbs of sound such as [[m|la|sībilō]], and is formed like [[m|la|tumultus]]; since it cannot continue a participle ⟨*singulitus⟩ under the regular syncope, it may have been made directly after other words in ⟨-ultus⟩.^(de Vaan 2008) The root has been compared with [[ine-pro|*sengwh-|t=to sing]], but de Vaan also suggests [[ine-pro|*sengw-|t=to fall down, sink]], since sobbing and coughing shake the throat and head.^(de Vaan 2008) Köbler compares [[m|la|glūtiō|t=to swallow]] with a query, and Lewis & Short derived it from [[m|la|singulī|t=one at a time]], an uttering of single sounds.^(Köbler 2010)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ De Vaan dates it from Lucretius,^(de Vaan 2008) who uses it of the convulsive gasping of the dying and of a hiccough.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ It is the catching of the breath in sobbing, and in the plural sobs: Cicero says one could see many tears and weeping with sobs.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879) It is also the convulsive gasp of a dying person, a death rattle, and a hiccough.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary) Pliny the Elder applies it to the sounds of birds, the clucking of hens and the croaking of ravens;^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary) Wiktionary also gives the gurgling of water.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary) Church Latin glosses it weeping, sobbing.^(Stelten 1995) English took ''singult'' for a fit of gasping in the early 15th century, for a sob in the 1580s and for a hiccup in 1754.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 96–55 BC – Lucretius of gasping and hiccoughs.^(OLD 2012)^(de Vaan 2008)

+ * 81–43 BC – Cicero of sobbing.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 23/24–79 AD – Pliny the Elder of the croaking of ravens.^(OLD 2012)

+ * early 15th century – English ''singult''.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # [[m|en|sobbing|alt=Sobbing]];^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Wiktionary)^(Stelten 1995) (plural) [[m|en|sob|alt=sobs]].^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Wiktionary)^(Stelten 1995)

+ # The gasping of a dying person, death rattle.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+ # A [[m|en|hiccup]].^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+ # The clucking of hens, croaking of ravens; gurgling of water.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[singultiō]]

+ * [[singultō]]

+ * [[singultim]]

+ * [[suggluttium]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}