nugae Latin · revision 6035

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

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA (Classical): [ˈnuː.ɡae̯]^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈnuː.d͡ʒe]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''nūgae''' ''f pl'' (genitive nūgārum); first declension^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It has no Indo-European etymology.^(de Vaan 2008)^(OLD 2012) Since words for “trifle” are often formed from words for “nut” or “seed”, a link with [[nux]] “nut” is quite likely, but the long /ū/ and the /g/ against /k/ suggest a borrowing, perhaps from another Italic language.^(de Vaan 2008)^(Wiktionary) Lewis and Short give an old form [[m|la|naugae]] and compare [[naucum]] “trifle”.^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ De Vaan dates it from Plautus.^(de Vaan 2008) Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ It meant what is useless or absurd, ''nūgās agere'' “to waste one's effort”, worthless stuff or trash, and of persons good-for-nothings.^(OLD 2012) It also meant jokes, frivolities and trifles, as Plautus' ''aufer nūgās'', “stop your joking”, and the exclamation ''nūgās!'', “nonsense!”.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Gaffiot 2016) Catullus calls his light poems ''nūgae''.^(Gaffiot 2016)

+

+ In Medieval Latin it was a trifle, often in modest titles for literary works, and a singular ''nūga'' appears.^(DMLBS)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses ''aufer nūgās''.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 81/79–52/50 BC – Catullus calls his poems ''nūgae''.^(Gaffiot 2016)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it.^(Gaffiot 2016)^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # [[m|en|Nonsense]], absurdity, ''nūgās agere'', to waste one's effort.^(OLD 2012)

+ # Worthless stuff, [[m|en|trash]]; worthless people.^(OLD 2012)

+ # Jokes, frivolities.^(OLD 2012)

+ # [[m|en|Trifles]]; light verses.^(OLD 2012)^(Gaffiot 2016)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[nūgālis]]

+ * [[nūgigerulus]]

+ * [[nugiuendus]]

+ * [[nūgācitās]]

+ * [[nūgāmenta]]

+ * [[nūgātor]]

+ * [[nūgātōrius]]

+ * [[nūgāx]]

+ * [[nūgō]]

+ * [[nūgor]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[nux]]

+ * [[en|nugatory]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}