forsitan Latin · revision 9777

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=compound|attested=Terence|origins=la fors, la sum, la an}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA (Classical): [ˈfɔr.sɪ.tan]^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈfɔr.si.tan]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''forsitan''' (not comparable)^(Wiktionary)

+ In Terence it is printed as three words.^(OLD 2012) Related forms are ''forsan'', ''fortan'' and ''fortasse''.^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is from ⟨fors sit an⟩ “chance may be whether”, “perchance it be that”: [[fors]] “chance”, [[sum|alt=sit]] and [[an]] “whether”.^(OLD 2012)^(TLL)^(de Vaan 2008)^(Wiktionary) De Vaan traces ⟨fors⟩ to [[itc-pro|*forti-|t=luck]], perhaps from [[ine-pro|*bʰr̥-ti-|t=bearing, case]].^(de Vaan 2008) Isidore says it is written with ⟨n⟩ at the end because its full form is “sī forte tandem”.^(Isidore)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Its earliest source is Terence, whom Köbler dates 190–159 BC.^(Köbler 2010)^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ It meant it may be, perhaps, peradventure, as in Cicero's ''forsitan quaerātis'' “perhaps you may ask”, Sallust and Virgil.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+

+ In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant perhaps, perchance, maybe.^(Stelten 1995)

+

+ ==Timeline==

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

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

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adverb===

+ # [[m|en|perhaps|alt=Perhaps]], it may be, perchance.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[fors]]

+ * [[forsan]]

+ * [[fortasse]]

+ * [[fortūna]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}