carbasus Latin · revision 34289

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=204–169 BC, Ennius|origins=grc κάρπασος}}

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''carbasus''' ''f'' (genitive carbasī); second declension^(Wiktionary)

+ In the plural it is usually neuter, ''carbasa'';^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879) Valerius Maximus has it as a masculine.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|grc|κάρπασος|tr=kárpasos|t=fine flax]].^(OLD 2012)^(Saalfeld 1874)^(TLL)^(Wiktionary) The Greek word is traced to [[sa|कर्पास|tr=karpāsa|t=cotton]],^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Georges 1913)^(Wiktionary) with [[hbo|כַּרְפַּס|tr=karpás|t=fabric of cotton]] as a link in Wiktionary's account,^(Wiktionary) but Köbler takes it from a Mediterranean language, and Wiktionary also mentions Mediterranean and Anatolian sources.^(Köbler 2010)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Köbler finds it first in Ennius,^(Köbler 2010) whose ''Annales'' have ''carbasus alta volat'', “the sail flies high”.^(OLD 2012)^(Conte 2010)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ It was first a fine fabric of cotton, but in Latin usually of linen, fine linen or cambric.^(Georges 1913)^(Lewis & Short 1879) Ennius has it for a sail, as do Catullus and Virgil,^(OLD 2012)^(Georges 1913) and Valerius Flaccus by metonymy for a ship.^(Conte 2010) In Lucretius it is an awning stretched over a theatre, which makes a crackling sound,^(OLD 2012)^(Conte 2010) and in Virgil a linen garment;^(OLD 2012)^(Conte 2010) Claudian uses it for the Sibylline books, written on linen.^(Conte 2010)

+

+ Medieval Latin kept the sense of sail and sailing ship, and also used it for linen, tent cloth and hemp:^(MLW) Aldhelm and William of Malmesbury write of spreading the sails.^(DMLBS)^(MLW)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 204–169 BC – Ennius uses it of a sail.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 96–55 BC – Lucretius uses it of a theatre awning.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 70–19 BC – Virgil uses it of linen clothing.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 57/46–12 BC – Propertius has the adjective ''carbasus''.^(Conte 2010)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 639–709 AD – Aldhelm uses it of sails.^(DMLBS)^(MLW)^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # Fine [[m|en|linen]], [[m|en|cambric]];^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Wiktionary) ''(plural)'' linen clothes.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Wiktionary)

+ # A [[m|en|sail]], canvas;^(OLD 2012)^(Conte 2010)^(Wiktionary) ''(by metonymy)'' a ship.^(OLD 2012)^(Conte 2010)^(Wiktionary)

+ # An [[m|en|awning]] or curtain.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Of fine linen, the same as [[carbaseus]].^(OLD 2012)^(Conte 2010)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[carbaseus]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}