iampridem Latin · revision 36679

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=compound|attested=c. 250–184 BC, Plautus|origins=la iam, la prīdem}}

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''iamprīdem''' (not comparable)^(Wiktionary)

+ It is also written as two words, ''iam prīdem'', and the order can be reversed (''prīdem iam'').^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is a compound, [[af|la|iam|prīdem|t1=now, already|t2=some time ago]].^(Bianchi & Lelli 2014)^(Wiktionary)^(Köbler 2010) De Vaan derives [[m|la|prīdem]] from an adverb ⟨*pri⟩ “before” (the base of [[m|la|prior]]) with the emphatic particle ⟨-dem⟩, and [[m|la|iam]] probably from an old accusative ⟨*iām⟩ “as far as this goes”.^(de Vaan 2008)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ It is first found in Plautus,^(Köbler 2010)^(OLD 2012) in both of its senses: “long ago” in the ''Poenulus'' (''iam prīdem equidem istuc ex tē audīvī'', “I heard that from you long ago”) and “for a long time now” in the ''Casina''.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ In Classical Latin it meant either that something happened well before now (or then), as in Cicero's ''ad mortem tē dūcī iam prīdem oportēbat'', “you ought to have been led to death long ago”,^(OLD 2012) or that a state has lasted a long time, as in Cicero's ''cupiō et iam prīdem cupiō'', “I want to, and have wanted to for a long time”.^(OLD 2012) It is common in Cicero, Virgil, Horace and Livy, and Apuleius still uses it.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses ''iam prīdem'' for “long ago” and “for a long time now”.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 190–159 BC – Terence uses it in the ''Phormio''.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it in his speeches and letters.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 70–19 BC – Virgil uses it in the ''Georgics''.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adverb===

+ # [[m|en|long ago|alt=Long ago]], long since, well before now or then.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+ # For a [[m|en|long]] time now, for a long time past.^(OLD 2012)^(Gaffiot 2016)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[prior]]

+ * [[prīdiē]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}