intellegens Latin · revision 34343

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

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''intellegēns''' (genitive intellegentis, comparative intellegentior, superlative intellegentissimus); third-declension adjective of one termination^(OLD 2012)^(Conte 2010)

+ The spelling ''intelligēns'' is also found.^(Stelten 1995)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ Used as an adjective, it is the present participle [[der|la|intellegō|t=to understand]].^(OLD 2012)^(Georges 1913)^(Conte 2010) That verb is a compound of [[m|la|inter-]] and [[m|la|legō#2|t=to gather, collect]];^(OLD 2012) de Vaan takes the ⟨-e-⟩ of ⟨-legere⟩ as a sign of a fairly recent compound, and traces the sense from “gather, collect” to “concentrate on”.^(de Vaan 2008) The simple verb goes back to [[itc-pro|*leg-e-]] and [[ine-pro|*leǵ-e/o-|t=to collect]].^(de Vaan 2008) Cognate with [[grc|λέγω|tr=légō|t=to collect, count; speak]].^(de Vaan 2008)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ It is first recorded in Terence,^(Köbler 2010) who asks ''stulto intellegens quid interest?'' “what difference is there between a man of sense and a fool?”, with the sense “having understanding, discerning”.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Cicero, translating Plato's ''Timaeus'', uses it of what is endowed with intelligence.^(OLD 2012)^(Conte 2010) More often it means discerning or competent: Cicero asks whether the judgement of the crowd always agrees with that of the ''intellegentes'', the experts,^(OLD 2012)^(Conte 2010) sets a ''homo ingeniosus et intellegens'' against the ''idiotae'', the laymen, in matters of art,^(OLD 2012)^(Georges 1913) and construes it with ''in'' and the ablative (''in hisce rebus intellegens'') or with the genitive (''eius generis intellegens'').^(OLD 2012)^(Conte 2010) Tacitus has the genitive too: ''filius imminentium intellegens'', a son aware of what was coming.^(OLD 2012)^(Conte 2010) The comparative ''intellegentior'' appears in Augustine's ''Retractationes''.^(Georges 1913)^(Gaffiot 2016) Ecclesiastical Latin keeps the sense “intelligent, knowing, able to perceive”.^(Stelten 1995)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 190–159 BC – Terence uses it of a person of understanding.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of experts and connoisseurs, and of what is endowed with intelligence.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 98–115 AD – Tacitus construes it with the genitive, “aware of”.^(OLD 2012)^(Conte 2010)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 354–430 AD – Augustine uses the comparative ''intellegentior''.^(Georges 1913)^(Gaffiot 2016)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Endowed with [[m|en|intelligence]].^(OLD 2012)^(Conte 2010)

+ # Having keen understanding, [[m|en|discerning]];^(OLD 2012)^(Georges 1913)^(Gaffiot 2016) ''(with genitive or ''in'' + ablative)'' knowledgeable about something, a [[m|en|connoisseur]] of it;^(OLD 2012)^(Georges 1913)^(Gaffiot 2016) ''(plural, as a noun)'' experts, connoisseurs.^(OLD 2012)^(Georges 1913)^(Gaffiot 2016)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[intellegenter]]

+ * [[intellegentia]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[intellegō]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}