casus Latin · revision 5138

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=Plautus|origins=ine-pro *ḱh₂d-}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA (Classical): [ˈkaː.sʊs]^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈkaː.s̬us]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''cāsus''' ''m'' (genitive cāsūs); fourth declension^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[af|la|cadō|-tus|t1=to fall]], from earlier [[m|la|cassus|alt=cāssus]].^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary) The verb is [[inh|itc-pro|*kad-e/o-]], perhaps from [[ine-pro|*ḱh₂d-|t=to fall]].^(de Vaan 2008) The grammatical sense “case” is a semantic loan from [[grc|πτῶσις|tr=ptôsis|t=a falling, case]].^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ De Vaan dates it from Plautus,^(de Vaan 2008) who has a character say that a fall gave great pleasure.^(OLD 2012) Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Its first sense was a fall, a downward movement of people, rain or snow.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879) From what “befalls” it meant chance and accident, an event or occurrence, and especially a misfortune or disaster.^(OLD 2012) Grammarians used it of the ending of a word and of grammatical case.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary) Döderlein distinguishes ''cāsus'', chance as a natural agent, from [[fors]], chance thought of as a kind of divine being.^(Döderlein 1874) In Cicero's time the ''s'' was written double, ⟨cassus⟩.^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+

+ In medieval Latin it was a legal problem in a treatise, a lawsuit, a cause and a subject.^(Niermeyer 1976) It survives in [[it|caso]] and [[es|caso]], and through Old French ''cas'' [[en|case]] meant “what befalls one” in the early 13th century.^(Wiktionary)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it of a fall.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of chance and of misfortune.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * c. 84–c. 25 BC – Vitruvius uses it of the endings of words.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * early 13th century – English ''case'' “what befalls one” is recorded.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A [[m|en|fall]], downward movement.^(OLD 2012)

+ # ''(grammar)'' An ending; a [[m|en|case]].^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+ # [[m|en|chance]], accident.^(OLD 2012)

+ # An event, occurrence.^(OLD 2012)

+ # A misfortune, [[m|en|disaster]].^(OLD 2012)

+ # ''(Medieval Latin)'' A legal problem; a lawsuit; a cause, ground.^(Niermeyer 1976)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[cāsuālis]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[cadō]]

+ * [[occāsiō]]

+ * [[en|case]]

+ * [[en|casual]]

+ * [[en|occasion]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ Isidore explains the grammatical cases as named from falling, because nouns vary and “fall” through them.^(Isidore)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}