littera Latin · revision 3323

+ {{infobox|confidence=uncertain|attested=Naevius}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA (Classical): [ˈlɪt.tɛ.ra]^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈlit.te.ra]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''littera''' ''f'' (genitive litterae); first declension^(Wiktionary)

+ The spelling ''lītera'' is also found, and an inscription has ''leiteras''.^(OLD 2012)^(de Vaan 2008)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ The origin is uncertain.^(de Vaan 2008)^(TLL)^(Wiktionary) Walde and Hofmann derived it from *lītes-ā, from an adjective of the root of [[lino|alt=linō]] “to smear”, “a smeared sign”; de Vaan rejects this on grounds of form.^(de Vaan 2008) The OLD gives the link with ''linō'' as possible.^(OLD 2012) Wiktionary mentions a borrowing of [[grc|διφθέρα|tr=diphthéra|t=prepared hide]] through Etruscan.^(Wiktionary) Marius Victorinus explained it as “legitera”, because it gives the reader a path.^(TLL)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ It is found from Naevius onwards.^(de Vaan 2008)^(Köbler 2010) In Plautus a slave retorts, “you call me names, you three-letter man?”, that is, ''fur'' “thief”.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ It meant a [[m|en|letter]] of the alphabet and a written character; on voting tablets ''A'' was the “saving letter” and ''C'' the “grim” one.^(OLD 2012)^(Gaffiot 2016) In the plural ''litterae'' were the ABC, a few lines of writing, writing as opposed to speech, documents and records, and a letter or dispatch, as Plautus' “what does this letter say?”^(OLD 2012)

+

+ It also meant literature and learning, as in Cicero.^(OLD 2012) Medieval writers used it for the dominical letter of the calendar,^(DMLBS) music theorists for the letter-names of notes,^(LmL) and Neo-Latin scholars for the text as opposed to a commentary.^(Ramminger) It survives as Italian ''lettera'', French ''lettre'', Spanish and Portuguese ''letra'' and Romanian ''literă''.^(Wiktionary) English ''letter'' came from Old French about 1200, and ''literature'' in the early 15th century.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 235–200 BC – Naevius uses it.^(de Vaan 2008)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it for letters of the alphabet and for a letter.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it for writing, documents and learning.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * c. 1200 – English ''letter'' is first recorded.^(Etymonline)

+ * early 15th century – English ''literature'' is first recorded.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A [[m|en|letter]] (of the alphabet); a written character.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+ # ''(plural)'' The elements of learning, the ABC.^(OLD 2012)

+ # A line of writing.^(OLD 2012)

+ # ''(plural)'' Writing; a document, record.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(plural)'' A letter, dispatch.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(plural)'' [[m|en|Literature]]; learning.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(Medieval Latin, music)'' A letter-name of a note.^(LmL)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[litterālis]]

+ * [[litterārius]]

+ * [[litterātiō]]

+ * [[litterātor]]

+ * [[litteratrix]]

+ * [[litterātūra]]

+ * [[litterātus]]

+ * [[litterio]]

+ * [[litterōsus]]

+ * [[litterula]]

+ * [[litterātim]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[en|letter]]

+ * [[en|literature]]

+ * [[en|literal]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ Döderlein distinguishes ''litterae'', the general word for a letter, from ''epistula'', one sent to a distant friend, and ''codicilli'', a note to someone in the same town.^(Döderlein 1874)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}