iocus Latin · revision 740

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA (Classical): [ˈjɔ.kʊs]^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈjɔː.kus]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''iocus''' ''m'' (genitive iocī); second declension^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|itc-pro|*joko-]], [[inh|ine-pro|*yok-o-|t=word, utterance]], from the root [[m|ine-pro|*yek-|t=to speak]].^(de Vaan 2008)^(Wiktionary)^(Etymonline) The original sense was thus a playful word or speech.^(Pokorny 1959)

+

+ Cognate with [[xum|iuka|t=words, prayers]], [[cy|iaith|t=language]], [[br|yezh|t=language]] and [[goh|jehan|t=to say, declare]].^(de Vaan 2008)^(OLD 2012) [[lt|juõkas|t=laughter, joke]] is probably a borrowing from German.^(de Vaan 2008)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ De Vaan dates it from Plautus onwards,^(de Vaan 2008) and Köbler from Ennius.^(Köbler 2010) In the ''Mercator'' Plautus lists ''iocus'' with life, friendship, joy and play among the companions a young man has found.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ It meant a [[m|en|joke]] or jest, and more widely fun and amusement, often opposed to what is serious, as in ''ioca seria'' “jest and earnest”.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879) Plautus and Horace personified it as a god of jesting.^(OLD 2012) Phrases such as ''per iocum'' “in jest” and ''extra iocum'' “joking apart” were common, and Cicero always uses the neuter plural ''ioca''.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879) It also meant a laughing stock and a trifle, “child's play”.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ In medieval Latin it named a joust or tournament,^(Niermeyer 1976) and it gave French ''jeu'', Italian ''gioco'' and Spanish ''juego'' “game”.^(Wiktionary)^(Etymonline) English borrowed it as [[en|joke]] in the 1660s, at first as a slang word.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 204–169 BC – Ennius uses it.^(Köbler 2010)

+ * c. 250–184 BC – Plautus personifies ''Iocus'' and uses ''ioco'' for “in jest”.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 81–43 BC – Cicero writes ''extra iocum'' “joking apart”.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 81/79–52/50 BC – Catullus complains that a woman takes him for a laughing stock.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * Middle Ages – It means a joust or tournament.^(Niermeyer 1976)

+ * 1660s – English borrows it as [[en|joke]].^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A [[m|en|joke]], jest; fun, sport, ''per iocum'': in jest.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+ # ''Iocus'': the god of jesting.^(OLD 2012)

+ # A [[m|en|laughing stock]].^(OLD 2012)

+ # A trifle, child's play.^(OLD 2012)

+ # ''(Medieval Latin)'' A [[m|en|joust]], tournament.^(Niermeyer 1976)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[iocōsus]]

+ * [[ioculus]]

+ * [[iocāliter]]

+ * [[iocor]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[iocābundus]]

+ * [[iocātiō]]

+ * [[iocōsē]]

+ * [[ioculanter]]

+ * [[ioculāris]]

+ * [[ioculāriter]]

+ * [[ioculārius]]

+ * [[ioculātiō]]

+ * [[ioculātor]]

+ * [[ioculātōrius]]

+ * [[en|joke]]

+ * [[en|jeopardy]]

+ * [[en|jewel]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ The plural is either masculine ''ioci'' or neuter ''ioca''.^(OLD 2012)^(TLL)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}