advocatus Latin · revision 8008

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

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA (Classical): [ad.wɔˈkaː.tʊs]^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ad.voˈkaː.tus]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''advocātus''' ''m'' (genitive advocātī, feminine advocāta); second declension^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is the past participle of [[advocō]] “to call to one's aid”, used as a noun.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)^(Etymonline) The TLL and Wiktionary compare [[osc|akkatus|t=advocates]], perhaps pointing to a Proto-Italic ⟨*adwokātos⟩.^(TLL)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The OLD's earliest citations are from Plautus, of a legal assistant and of a helper.^(OLD 2012) Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ It meant one who supports or advises a party in a lawsuit, by counsel or merely by presence, a legal assistant, as in Plautus.^(OLD 2012)^(Gaffiot 2016) From Quintilian it meant a professional pleader, counsel, and ''advocātus fiscī'' the representative of the imperial treasury.^(OLD 2012) From Plautus it also meant a helper, a mediator, a witness.^(OLD 2012) Döderlein explains that in writers of the Silver Age ''advocātus'' is counsel as the client's friend and helper, while ''causidicus'' is counsel as a paid pleader.^(Döderlein 1874)

+

+ In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant an advocate, legal assistant, and in canon law one appointed to safeguard a client's rights before a church tribunal.^(Stelten 1995) Medieval Latin used it for an attorney, a trustee, a guardian, and an oath-helper, and it was borrowed into Germanic as ''Vogt''.^(Niermeyer 1976)^(Köbler 2010) It survives in Italian ''avvocato'', French ''avoué'' and Spanish ''abogado'', and Old French ''avocat'' gave [[en|advocate]] in the mid-14th century.^(Wiktionary)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

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

+ * c. 35–95/96 AD – Quintilian uses it of a professional pleader.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 7th century – The Visigothic laws use it.^(Köbler 2010)

+ * mid-14th century – English ''advocate'' is recorded.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A legal assistant, counsellor.^(OLD 2012)

+ # A pleader, [[m|en|advocate]], ''advocātus fiscī'', counsel for the treasury.^(OLD 2012)

+ # A helper; a mediator; a witness.^(OLD 2012)

+ # ''(Medieval Latin)'' An attorney; a trustee; a guardian.^(Niermeyer 1976)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[advocāta]]

+ * [[advocātiō]]

+ * [[advocō]]

+ * [[vocō]]

+ * [[en|advocate]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ Döderlein distinguishes it from [[causidicus]], a pleader by trade.^(Döderlein 1874)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}