voluntas Latin · revision 7230

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=Plautus|origins=la volō}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA (Classical): [wɔˈɫʊn.taːs]^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA (Ecclesiastical): [voˈlun.tas]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''voluntās''' ''f'' (genitive voluntātis); third declension^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is from the old present participle stem *welont- of [[volō]] “to want” with the suffix ⟨-(t)ās⟩; compare [[volēns]] “willing”.^(Wiktionary)^(OLD 2012) Isidore says the general name of all legal instruments is ⟨voluntās⟩, because they proceed not by force but by will.^(Isidore)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The OLD's earliest citations are from Plautus, of will and of ''voluntāte'' “voluntarily”.^(OLD 2012) Köbler's first source is Cicero; he dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ It meant the faculty of will, as in Cicero's ''Tusculans'', the wish to do something, and ''voluntāte'' or ''suā voluntāte'' “of one's own will”, ''contrā voluntātem'' “against one's wishes”.^(OLD 2012)^(Gaffiot 2016) It meant what one wishes, a wish, and especially a last will, a testament, as in Cicero.^(OLD 2012) It meant willingness, consent, as Terence's ''voluntāte'' with a genitive, choice as opposed to compulsion, intention, and the meaning or import of words, as in Varro.^(OLD 2012) It also meant inclination, disposition towards someone, and goodwill.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant will, wish, inclination, desire, a will and testament.^(Stelten 1995) British Medieval Latin used it of volition, the act of willing.^(DMLBS) It survives in Italian ''volontà'', French ''volonté'' and Spanish ''voluntad''.^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Timeline==

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

+ * 190–159 BC – Terence uses it of consent.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of the faculty of will and of a last will.^(OLD 2012)^(Gaffiot 2016)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * c. 560–636 AD – Isidore explains it as the name of legal instruments.^(Isidore)^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # [[m|en|Will]], the wish to do something, ''voluntāte'', voluntarily.^(OLD 2012)

+ # A wish; a last will, [[m|en|testament]].^(OLD 2012)

+ # Willingness, consent.^(OLD 2012)

+ # Free choice.^(OLD 2012)

+ # Intention; the meaning of words.^(OLD 2012)

+ # Inclination; disposition; [[m|en|goodwill]].^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[volō]]

+ * [[voluntāriē]]

+ * [[voluntārius]]

+ * [[en|voluntary]]

+ * [[en|volunteer]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}