nescio Latin · revision 8062

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

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA (Classical): [ˈnɛs.ki.oː]^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈnɛʃ.ʃi.o]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''nesciō''' (present infinitive nescīre, perfect active nescīvī or nesciī, supine nescītum); fourth conjugation^(Wiktionary)

+ The final ''o'' is regularly short in ''nesciŏ'' in verse.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is from [[ne-]] “not” and [[sciō]] “to know”.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The OLD's earliest citations are from Plautus, as ''quid dīcam nesciō'' “I don't know what to say”.^(OLD 2012) Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ It meant not to know a fact, as in Plautus, and in Terence to be unfamiliar with a person or thing; with an infinitive, from Plautus, not to know how, to be unable.^(OLD 2012) In Cicero ''nesciō an'' meant “I am inclined to think, perhaps”.^(OLD 2012) From Plautus ''nesciō quis'' meant someone or other, ''nesciō quī'' some, often slighting, and ''nesciō ubi'', ''nesciō unde'' somewhere, from somewhere.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant to be ignorant of, not know, and ''nesciō quis'' some one or other.^(Stelten 1995) In Proto-Romance ''nesciō quid'' became an indefinite meaning “a certain amount of”, and ''nesciō quālis'' an adjective meaning “a certain”.^(DÉRom) Its participle ''nesciēns'' gave [[en|nescient]] in the early 15th century.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it of not knowing and in ''nesciō quis''.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

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

+ * 81–43 BC – Cicero uses ''nesciō an''.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * early 15th century – English ''nescient'' is recorded.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Verb===

+ # Not to know.^(OLD 2012)

+ # To be unfamiliar with.^(OLD 2012)

+ # Not to know how; to be unable.^(OLD 2012)

+ # ''nesciō an'', perhaps, probably.^(OLD 2012)

+ # ''nesciō quis'', someone or other, ''nesciō quī'', some.^(OLD 2012)

+ # ''nesciō ubi'', ''nesciō unde'', somewhere, from somewhere.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[nesciōquis]]

+ * [[nescius]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[sciō]]

+ * [[en|nescient]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}