Publication details
Toward the Etymology of Latin littera
| Authors | |
|---|---|
| Year of publication | 2018 |
| Type | Article in Periodical |
| Magazine / Source | Graeco-Latina Brunensia |
| MU Faculty or unit | |
| Citation | |
| Web | http://hdl.handle.net/11222.digilib/138767 |
| Doi | http://dx.doi.org/10.5817/GLB2018-2-1 |
| Keywords | Latin; Etruscan; Greek; Semitic; etymology; letter; script; linen cloth |
| Description | In the present contribution the Latin word littera is anylazed from the point of view of etymology. First, the previous relevant etymological attempts are discussed. If none of them is convincing enough to exclude doubts, a new etymology is proposed. It is based on supposition that the script may also be named according to material, here namely “linen cloth”, really used in the ancient Mediterranean world. A source of Latin littera could be Greek acc.sg. *líta “linen cloth”, mediated to Romans via Etruscans, adding the plural in -er-. |
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