littera
Finnish
Noun
littera
- denomination (of a bank note)
Declension
| Inflection of littera (Kotus type 12/kulkija, no gradation) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| nominative | littera | litterat | |
| genitive | litteran | litteroiden litteroitten | |
| partitive | litteraa | litteroita | |
| illative | litteraan | litteroihin | |
| singular | plural | ||
| nominative | littera | litterat | |
| accusative | nom. | littera | litterat |
| gen. | litteran | ||
| genitive | litteran | litteroiden litteroitten litterain rare | |
| partitive | litteraa | litteroita | |
| inessive | litterassa | litteroissa | |
| elative | litterasta | litteroista | |
| illative | litteraan | litteroihin | |
| adessive | litteralla | litteroilla | |
| ablative | litteralta | litteroilta | |
| allative | litteralle | litteroille | |
| essive | litterana | litteroina | |
| translative | litteraksi | litteroiksi | |
| abessive | litteratta | litteroitta | |
| instructive | — | litteroin | |
| comitative | See the possessive forms below. | ||
Interlingua
Pronunciation
Noun
littera (plural litteras)
Latin
Alternative forms
Etymology
Origin unknown. Two explanations have been proposed:
- From earlier lītera, the existence of which is disputed[1], with lengthening of the consonant (sometimes called a littera rule[2]), from Old Latin leitera (attested ca. 122 BC[3], argued by Ernout & Meillet to be a false etymological attraction to lino[4]), from a plural form of earlier adj. *lei-tos (cf. opera from opus), related to Latin linō (“smear”) and Proto-Italic *linō (“smear”),[5] ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h₂leyH- (“smear”). A variation of this is to reconstruct the PIE root as *leyt- (“to scratch”).[6]
- However, de Vaan points out that the past participle from lino is actually litus with a short i and, lacking any other traces of *leitos, says the scenario is "morphologicaly unconvincing".[1]
- Alternatively, perhaps via Etruscan from (or related to, as if from a common source) Ancient Greek διφθέρᾱ (diphthérā, “leather; writing material”) which is claimed by Hesychius to be used to name tablets as well,[4] of unknown ultimate origin.
Pronunciation
- (Classical Latin) IPA(key): /ˈlit.te.ra/, [ˈlʲɪt̪ːɛrä]
- (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA(key): /ˈlit.te.ra/, [ˈlit̪ːerä]
Audio (Classical): (file)
Noun
littera f (genitive litterae); first declension
- a letter of the alphabet
- (metonymically) handwriting
- 68 BCE – 44 BCE, Cicero, Epistulae ad Atticum 7.2:
- Tam Alexidis manum amabam, quod tam prope accedebat ad similitudinem tuae litterae; non amabam, quod indicabat te non valere.
- While I was liking the handwriting of Alexis for it resembled so closely a likeness to your own handwriting, I wasn't liking it for it was indicating that you were not well.
- Tam Alexidis manum amabam, quod tam prope accedebat ad similitudinem tuae litterae; non amabam, quod indicabat te non valere.
- (usually in the plural) letter, epistle
- (usually in the plural) literature
- Si versus horum duorum poetarum neglegetis, magna parte litterarum carebitis.
- If you neglect the verses of these two poets, you will miss a great part of literature.
- (usually in the plural, by extension) letters, knowledge of literature, learning, scholarship
- (usually in the plural) books (often a collection of letters, epistles, accounts, records, etc.)
- (usually in the plural) record(s), account(s), document(s)
- (usually in the plural) an edict, ordinance.
- Litteras revocavit.
- A letter of appointment. (a commission)
Usage notes
- litterae missae means "a letter sent by a person" and litterae allatae a "a letter received" hence, liber litterarum missarum et allatarum meant a letter-book.
Declension
First-declension noun.
| singular | plural | |
|---|---|---|
| nominative | littera | litterae |
| genitive | litterae | litterārum |
| dative | litterae | litterīs |
| accusative | litteram | litterās |
| ablative | litterā | litterīs |
| vocative | littera | litterae |
Derived terms
Descendants
- → Albanian: letër
- Asturian: lletra
- → Breton: lizher
- Catalan: lletra
- → Cornish: lyther
- Dalmatian: latera
- → Dutch: letter
- → English: letter
- French: lettre
- Friulian: letare, lètare
- Italian: lettera
- Occitan: letra
- → Old Irish: liter
- → Polish: litera
- Portuguese: letra
- Romanian: literă
- Romansch: letra
- → Russian: ли́тера (lítera)
- Sardinian: lítara, lítera
- Sicilian: littra, lìttira
- Spanish: letra
- Venetan: łétara, létara, létera
- → Welsh: llythyr
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 De Vaan, Michiel (2008) “littera”, in Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 7), Leiden, Boston: Brill, →ISBN, page 346
- ^ https://books.google.ru/books?id=J7u6BwAAQBAJ&pg=PA47
- ^ https://droitromain.univ-grenoble-alpes.fr/Leges/acilia_CIL.htm
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Ernout, Alfred, Meillet, Antoine (1985) “littera”, in Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue latine: histoire des mots[1] (in French), 4th edition, with additions and corrections of Jacques André, Paris: Klincksieck, published 2001, page 363
- ^ Walde, Alois, Hofmann, Johann Baptist (1938) “littera”, in Lateinisches etymologisches Wörterbuch (in German), 3rd edition, volume I, Heidelberg: Carl Winter, page 814
- ^ Sihler, Andrew L. (1995) New Comparative Grammar of Greek and Latin, Oxford, New York: Oxford University Press, →ISBN, page 224
Further reading
- “littera”, in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879) A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
- “littera”, in Charlton T. Lewis (1891) An Elementary Latin Dictionary, New York: Harper & Brothers
- littera in Charles du Fresne du Cange’s Glossarium Mediæ et Infimæ Latinitatis (augmented edition with additions by D. P. Carpenterius, Adelungius and others, edited by Léopold Favre, 1883–1887)
- littera in Gaffiot, Félix (1934) Dictionnaire illustré latin-français, Hachette.
- Carl Meißner, Henry William Auden (1894) Latin Phrase-Book[2], London: Macmillan and Co.
- to live (all) one's life (honourably, in the country, as a man of learning): vitam, aetatem (omnem aetatem, omne aetatis tempus) agere (honeste, ruri, in litteris), degere, traducere
- the study of belles-lettres; literary pursuits: litterarum studium or tractatio (not occupatio)
- learned, scientific, literary men: homines litterarum studiosi
- scholarship, culture, literature is at a low ebb: litterae iacent, neglectae iacent
- to be engaged in the pursuit of letters: litteras colere
- to be an enthusiastic devotee of letters: litteras amplecti
- to be an enthusiastic devotee of letters: litteras adamasse (only in perf. and plup.)
- to be engaged in literary pursuits: in studio litterarum versari
- to be engaged in any branch of study: in aliquo litterarum genere versari
- to be an ardent student of..: summo studio in litteris versari
- to devote oneself entirely to literature: se totum litteris tradere, dedere
- to be quite engrossed in literary studies: se totum in litteras or se litteris abdere
- to apply oneself very closely to literary, scientific work: in litteris elaborare (De Sen. 8. 26)
- to find recreation in study: in litteris acquiescere or conquiescere
- to devote one's life to science, study: aetatem in litteris ducere, agere
- to devote all one's leisure moments to study: omne (otiosum) tempus in litteris consumere
- to employ all one's energies on literary work: omne studium in litteris collocare, ad litteras conferre
- to feel an attraction for study: litterarum studio trahi
- to feel an attraction for study: trahi, ferri ad litteras
- to relax one's studies: litterarum studia remittere
- to have a superficial knowledge, a smattering of literature, of the sciences: primis (ut dicitur) or primoribus labris gustare or attingere litteras
- literature: litterae
- written records; documents: litterae ac monumenta or simply monumenta
- Roman literature: litterae latinae
- shining lights in the literary world: clarissima litterarum lumina
- to study Greek literature: graecis litteris studere
- to be well (slightly) acquainted with Greek literature: multum (mediocriter) in graecis litteris versari
- acquainted with the Latin language: latinis litteris or latine doctus
- to possess literary knowledge: litterarum scientiam (only in sing.) habere
- to be well-informed, erudite: multarum rerum cognitione imbutum esse (opp. litterarum or eruditionis expertem esse or [rerum] rudem esse)
- to have received a liberal education: litteras scire
- profound scientific education: litterae interiores et reconditae, artes reconditae
- for a Roman he is decidedly well educated: sunt in illo, ut in homine Romano, multae litterae (De Sen. 4. 12)
- to have received a superficial education: litteris leviter imbutum or tinctum esse
- to be educated by some one: litteras discere ab aliquo
- an elementary school: ludus (discendi or litterarum)
- to receive the first elements of a liberal education: primis litterarum elementis imbui
- to teach some one letters: erudire aliquem artibus, litteris (but erudire aliquem in iure civili, in re militari)
- to write expositions of philosophy in Latin: philosophiam latinis litteris illustrare (Acad. 1. 1. 3)
- to study historical records, read history: evolvere historias, litterarum (veterum annalium) monumenta
- to hold by the letter (of the law): verba ac litteras or scriptum (legis) sequi (opp. sententia the spirit)
- to lengthen the pronunciation of a syllable or letter: syllabam, litteram producere (opp. corripere) (Quintil. 9. 4. 89)
- to pronounce the syllables distinctly: litteras exprimere (opp. obscurare)
- to the letter; literally: ad litteram, litterate
- the alphabet: litterarum ordo
- the alphabet: litterae, elementa
- to arrange in alphabetical order: ad litteram or litterarum ordine digerere
- to put down in writing: litteris mandare or consignare aliquid (Acad. 2. 1. 2)
- to treat in writing: litteris persequi (vid. sect. VIII. 2, note persequi...) aliquid
- to write a letter to some one: epistulam (litteras) dare, scribere, mittere ad aliquem
- correspondence: litterae missae et allatae
- to correspond with some one: colloqui cum aliquo per litteras
- to be in correspondence with..: litteras inter se dare et accipere
- to take a letter somewhere: litteras perferre aliquo
- to read a letter aloud (in public): litteras recitare (Att. 8. 9. 2)
- a letter, the tenor of which is..: litterae hoc exemplo (Att. 9. 6. 3)
- the terms, contents of the letter are as follows: litterae in hanc sententiam or his verbis scriptae sunt
- to deliver a letter dated September 21st: litteras reddere datas a. d. Kal. X. Octob.
- a most courteous letter: litterae officii or humanitatis plenae
- to live (all) one's life (honourably, in the country, as a man of learning): vitam, aetatem (omnem aetatem, omne aetatis tempus) agere (honeste, ruri, in litteris), degere, traducere
- littera in Ramminger, Johann (2016 July 16 (last accessed)) Neulateinische Wortliste: Ein Wörterbuch des Lateinischen von Petrarca bis 1700[3], pre-publication website, 2005-2016
Categories:
- Finnish lemmas
- Finnish nouns
- Finnish kulkija-type nominals
- Interlingua terms with IPA pronunciation
- Interlingua lemmas
- Interlingua nouns
- Latin terms with unknown etymologies
- Latin terms inherited from Old Latin
- Latin terms derived from Old Latin
- Latin terms derived from Proto-Indo-European
- Latin terms borrowed from Etruscan
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- Latin 3-syllable words
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- Latin words in Meissner and Auden's phrasebook