alter Latin · revision 5156

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=Naevius|origins=ine-pro *h₂el-}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA (Classical): [ˈaɫ.tɛr]^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈal.ter]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''alter''' (feminine altera, neuter alterum); first/second-declension determiner (nominative masculine singular in -er, pronominal declension)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|itc-pro|*al-tero-|t=the other]], [[inh|ine-pro|*h₂el-tero-|t=the other of two]], with the contrastive suffix also seen in [[grc|ἕτερος|tr=héteros|t=other]].^(de Vaan 2008)^(OLD 2012) Many scholars reconstruct *ali-tero-, but de Vaan, following Ernout and Meillet, prefers *h₂el-tero-, since *h₂elio-tero- would not have lost its second syllable.^(de Vaan 2008) It belongs with [[alius]] “other”.^(de Vaan 2008)^(TLL) Cognate with [[osc|alttram|t=other (accusative feminine)]].^(de Vaan 2008)^(TLL)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ De Vaan and Köbler give Naevius first.^(de Vaan 2008)^(Köbler 2010) Köbler dates Naevius c. 235–200 BC.^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ It meant a second or further one, another person or thing, and someone other than oneself; in negative phrases it was anyone else.^(OLD 2012) Above all it was one of two: ''alter … alter'' was “the one … the other”, and ''ūnus et alter'' “one or two, a few”.^(OLD 2012) It could also refer loosely to another member of a larger group.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ In medieval Latin it also meant every other, alternate, and ''alterā diē'' was the other day.^(DMLBS) It survives in [[it|altro]], [[es|otro]] and [[fr|autrui]].^(Wiktionary) Medieval Latin [[m|la-med|alterō|alt=alterāre]] “to change” gave [[en|alter]] in the late 14th century.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 235–200 BC – Naevius uses the word.^(de Vaan 2008)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it of two sisters, one and the other.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * Middle Ages – ''alterāre'' “to change” is formed from it.^(Etymonline)

+ * late 14th century – English ''alter'' is recorded.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Determiner===

+ # A second, a further, another.^(OLD 2012)

+ # The other (of two), ''alter … alter'', the one … the other.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Another person, someone else, ''(in negatives)'' anyone else.^(OLD 2012)

+ # ''ūnus et alter'', one or two, a few.^(OLD 2012)

+ # ''(Medieval Latin)'' Every other, [[m|en|alternate]].^(DMLBS)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[alternus]]

+ * [[alterorsus]]

+ * [[alterplex]]

+ * [[alteruter]]

+ * [[alteruterque]]

+ * [[altrīnsecus]]

+ * [[altrouorsum]]

+ * [[sēsquialter]]

+ * [[adulter]]

+ * [[altercor]]

+ * [[alterō]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[alius]]

+ * [[en|alter]]

+ * [[en|alternative]]

+ * [[en|altruism]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}