continenter Latin · revision 33525

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=81/79–52/50 BC, Catullus|origins=ine-pro *tn-eh₁-}}

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''continenter''' (comparative continentius, superlative continentissimē)^(Wiktionary)^(Conte 2010)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[af|la|continēns|-ter|t1=continuous; self-restrained]],^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary) from the present participle of [[m|la|contineō|t=to hold together]], a compound of [[m|la|con-]] and [[m|la|teneō|t=to hold]].^(Wiktionary)^(Köbler 2010) De Vaan traces [[m|la|teneō]] to [[itc-pro|*t(e)nē-]] and [[ine-pro|*tn-eh₁-|t=to hold]], a stative present of the root ⟨*ten-⟩ “to stretch”.^(de Vaan 2008) Cognate with [[xum|tenitu|t=to hold]].^(de Vaan 2008)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Köbler records it first in Catullus,^(Köbler 2010) who writes of men sitting ''continenter'', “in an unbroken row”;^(OLD 2012)^(Georges 1913) the TLL cites it already from Plautus, paired with ''artē'', of a mother who keeps someone closely.^(TLL)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Its sense of continuity applies in space, in an unbroken line, and in time, without a pause:^(OLD 2012)^(Georges 1913) the ''Rhetorica ad Herennium'' speaks of saying many things in one breath, Caesar of fighting continuously for more than six hours, and Livy of stones raining for two days without a break.^(OLD 2012)^(Georges 1913)^(Conte 2010) The same rhetorical work uses it for returning repeatedly to the last word of successive clauses.^(OLD 2012) From ''continēns'' in the sense “self-restrained” it also means temperately: Cicero praises living ''parcē, continenter, sevērē, sōbriē'' in contrast with a soft and luxurious life,^(Georges 1913) and Augustine has the superlative ''continentissimē''.^(Georges 1913)^(Conte 2010) Köbler records it in medieval Latin in Thietmar of Merseburg.^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 250–184 BC – Plautus pairs it with ''artē''.^(TLL)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 81/79–52/50 BC – Catullus uses it of an unbroken row.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of a temperate life.^(OLD 2012)^(Georges 1913)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * c. 50 BC – Caesar writes of fighting continuously.^(Georges 1913)^(Conte 2010)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 354–430 AD – Augustine uses the superlative.^(Georges 1913)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 1012–1018 – Thietmar of Merseburg uses it.^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adverb===

+ # Without a gap in space, in an unbroken line, [[m|en|continuously]].^(OLD 2012)^(Georges 1913)

+ # Without a pause, [[m|en|incessantly]].^(OLD 2012)^(Georges 1913)^(Wiktionary)

+ # [[m|en|repeatedly|alt=Repeatedly]], in succession.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+ # With self-restraint, [[m|en|temperately]], [[m|en|continently]].^(OLD 2012)^(Georges 1913)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[contineō]]

+ * [[continēns]]

+ * [[continuus]]

+ * [[teneō]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}