sus Latin · revision 5642

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

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA (Classical): [ˈsuːs]^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈsus]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''sūs''' ''m'' or f (genitive suis); irregular, third declension^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|itc-pro|*sūs]], [[inh|ine-pro|*suH-|t=pig, swine]], probably originally “sow”, from the root *suH- “to give birth”.^(de Vaan 2008)^(Wiktionary) Cognate with [[xum|sim|t=pig]], [[grc|ὗς|tr=hûs|t=pig]], [[sa|सूकर|tr=sūkará-|t=wild boar]], [[ang|sū|t=sow]] and [[non|sýr|t=sow]].^(de Vaan 2008)^(OLD 2012) The alternation of nominative ''sūs'' with short /su-/ in other cases led to compounds with /su-/ such as [[subulcus]] “swineherd”.^(de Vaan 2008) Isidore derived it from [[m|la|subigere]], because the pig turns up the ground looking for food.^(Isidore)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ De Vaan and Köbler date it from Plautus, who has slaves told to drag a man out by the feet like a slaughtered sow.^(de Vaan 2008)^(Köbler 2010)^(OLD 2012) Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ It was a pig of either sex, or a sow, and Döderlein notes that it was the general name used by naturalists, while ''verrēs'' “boar”, ''scrōfa'' “breeding sow” and ''porcus'' were farmers' words.^(OLD 2012)^(Döderlein 1874) The proverb ''sūs Minervam'' “the pig teaches Minerva” was said of one who instructs his betters, as in Cicero.^(Gaffiot 2016) Ovid uses it of a sea fish.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ In Medieval Latin it was also a siege engine and, in British sources, ''sūs maris'' was the porpoise, “mereswine”.^(Niermeyer 1976)^(DMLBS) Little of it survived in Romance, where [[porcus]] took over, but Romanian ''sor'' “wild pig” continues it.^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 250–184 BC – Plautus speaks of a slaughtered sow.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 81–43 BC – Cicero cites the proverb ''sūs Minervam''.^(Gaffiot 2016)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 43 BC–18 AD – Ovid uses it of a sea fish.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A [[m|en|pig]], [[m|en|swine]]; a sow.^(OLD 2012)

+ # A sea fish.^(OLD 2012)

+ # ''(Medieval Latin)'' A siege engine.^(Niermeyer 1976)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[porcus]]

+ * [[scrōfa]]

+ * [[verrēs]]

+ * [[subulcus]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ Döderlein distinguishes ''sūs'', the general and scientific name, from ''verrēs'' (boar), ''scrōfa'' (breeding sow) and ''porcus'' (domestic pig).^(Döderlein 1874)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}