otium Latin · revision 5384

+ {{infobox|confidence=unknown|attested=Plautus}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA (Classical): [ˈoː.ti.ũː]^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈɔt.t͡si.um]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''ōtium''' ''n'' (genitive ōtiī or ōtī); second declension^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ The origin is uncertain.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary) Wiktionary mentions a possible [[itc-pro|*autiom]], from [[ine-pro|*h₂ewtyom|t=forlorn, deserted]], but de Vaan finds an etymology with *au- unattractive since there is no evidence for it.^(Wiktionary)^(de Vaan 2008) Benveniste argued that [[negōtium]] “business” was a compound *nec-ōtium “not leisure”.^(de Vaan 2008)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ De Vaan dates it from Plautus, and Köbler from Ennius, who says that whoever does not know how to use leisure has more business than a busy man.^(de Vaan 2008)^(Köbler 2010)^(Lewis & Short 1879) Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ It meant spare time, freedom from business, and leisure, especially leisure spent on study and writing, the opposite of [[negōtium]].^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879) It also meant rest from toil, public peace and quiet, idleness or inactivity, and a lull or respite, as in Livy's ''ab externīs armīs ōtium'' “a respite from foreign wars”.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ Döderlein describes ''ōtium'' as quiet times in general, a kind of [[pāx]] with regard to foreign relations.^(Döderlein 1874) In British medieval Latin it could mean a place of leisure.^(DMLBS) ''Negōtium'' and its verb ''negōtiārī'' gave [[en|negotiate]].^(Etymonline) It survives in [[it|ozio]] and [[es|ocio]].^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 204–169 BC – Ennius contrasts leisure and business.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * c. 250–184 BC – Plautus has “come back to me when you have time”.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 81–43 BC – Cicero speaks of thinking about business in his leisure.^(Gaffiot 2016)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 59 BC–17 AD – Livy speaks of a respite from foreign wars.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # Spare time; [[m|en|leisure]], especially for study.^(OLD 2012)

+ # Rest, ease.^(OLD 2012)

+ # Peace, public tranquillity.^(OLD 2012)

+ # Idleness, inactivity.^(OLD 2012)

+ # A respite, lull.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[ōtiolum]]

+ * [[ōtior]]

+ * [[ōtiōsus]]

+ * [[negōtium]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[en|negotiate]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}