oscitatio Latin · revision 36931

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=14–37 AD, Celsus|origins=la ōscitō}}

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''ōscitātiō''' ''f'' (genitive ōscitātiōnis); third declension^(Georges 1913)^(Gaffiot 2016)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[af|la|ōscitō|-tiō|t1=to gape, yawn]].^(OLD 2012)^(TLL)^(Bianchi & Lelli 2014) De Vaan lists the verb among the derivatives of [[m|la|ōs#1|t=mouth]].^(de Vaan 2008)

+

+ The grammarian Donatus explained the word as coming from setting the mouth in motion, ⟨ōre ciendō⟩.^(TLL)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ It is first found in Celsus,^(Köbler 2010) who lists frequent yawns, ''frequentēs ōscitātiōnēs'', among the signs that an illness may be coming on.^(OLD 2012)^(Georges 1913)^(TLL)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ In medicine yawning was a sign of disease, as in Celsus and later medical writers.^(TLL) Pliny the Elder uses it more generally of the gaping of shellfish that open themselves to take in dew.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879) Seneca speaks of opening one's own mouth whenever others yawn,^(OLD 2012) Martial of long yawns,^(OLD 2012)^(Georges 1913) and Gellius uses it as well.^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+

+ Figuratively it meant listlessness: Quintilian warns that the judge should not be lulled by the speaker's own languor,^(OLD 2012)^(Georges 1913) and Statius calls the writings of the old Brutus his ''ōscitātiōnēs'', tedious works that make one yawn.^(Georges 1913)^(Conte 2010) Donatus glosses it as idleness and freedom from care of the mind.^(TLL) The glossaries render it with [[m|grc|χάσμησις|tr=khásmēsis]] and explain it as an opening or stretching of the mouth.^(CGL)

+

+ In British medieval Latin it was used of gaping in accounts of miraculous cures and of yawning in medical texts,^(DMLBS) and Ælfric's glossary renders it with the Old English word [[m|ang|ganung]].^(DMLBS)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 14–37 AD – Celsus lists frequent yawns as a sign of coming illness.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 4 BC–65 AD – Seneca uses it of yawning in imitation of others.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 23/24–79 AD – Pliny the Elder uses it of the gaping of shellfish.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * c. 35–95/96 AD – Quintilian uses it of a speaker's languor.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * c. 45–96 AD – Statius calls Brutus' writings ''ōscitātiōnēs''.^(Georges 1913)^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # An opening of the mouth, [[m|en|gaping]].^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Gaffiot 2016)

+ # [[m|en|yawning|alt=Yawning]]; a [[m|en|yawn]].^(OLD 2012)^(Georges 1913)^(Conte 2010)

+ # ''(figurative)'' [[m|en|listlessness|alt=Listlessness]], [[m|en|languor]]; tedious writing.^(Georges 1913)^(Gaffiot 2016)^(VoLat 2018)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[ōscitō]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}