fabula Latin · revision 9955

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=Naevius|origins=ine-pro *bʰeh₂-}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA (Classical): [ˈfaː.bʊ.ɫa]^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈfaː.bu.la]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''fābula''' ''f'' (genitive fābulae); first declension^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is from the root ⟨fā-⟩ of [[for|alt=fārī]] “to speak” (compare [[fāma]]) with the instrument suffix [[m|la|-bula]].^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary) De Vaan reconstructs Proto-Italic ⟨*fā-þlo-⟩ “story”, from [[ine-pro|*bʰeh₂-|t=to speak]], cognate with [[grc|φημί|tr=phēmí|t=I say]] and Oscan ⟨faamat⟩.^(de Vaan 2008)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The OLD's earliest citation is Naevius, of a play, and Köbler also begins with Naevius.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010) Köbler dates Naevius c. 235–200 BC.^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ It meant talk, conversation, gossip, as in Petronius and the proverb ''lupus in fābulā'' “speak of the wolf”; a thing said, a report, as in Plautus' ''quae haec est fābula?'' “what's this you say?”; a fictitious story, a tale told for entertainment or instruction, a fable; a legend or myth, so ''fābula est'' “the story goes”; and in Naevius a play, drama.^(OLD 2012)^(Gaffiot 2016)

+

+ In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant a byword, tale, common talk.^(Stelten 1995) Medieval Latin used it for a verbal agreement and a marriage contract.^(Niermeyer 1976) It survives as Italian ''favola'' and ''fiaba'', Spanish ''habla'' and Portuguese ''fala'' “speech”, and Old French ''fable'' is a learned borrowing of it.^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 235–200 BC – Naevius uses it of a play.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

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

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

+ * before 66 AD – Petronius uses it of conversation.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # Talk, [[m|en|conversation]], [[m|en|gossip]].^(OLD 2012)^(Gaffiot 2016)

+ # A report, account.^(OLD 2012)

+ # A fictitious story, [[m|en|tale]], [[m|en|fable]].^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+ # A [[m|en|legend]], myth.^(OLD 2012)

+ # A [[m|en|play]], drama.^(OLD 2012)

+ # ''(Medieval Latin)'' A verbal agreement; a marriage [[m|en|contract]].^(Niermeyer 1976)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[fabella]]

+ * [[fābulāris]]

+ * [[fābulō]]

+ * [[fābulōsus]]

+ * [[fābulor]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[for]]

+ * [[fāma]]

+ * [[fātum]]

+ * [[en|fable]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ A different ''făbula'', a diminutive of ''faba'' “little bean”, occurs once in Plautus.^(Gaffiot 2016)^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}