Publication details

Toward the Etymology of Latin littera

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Authors

BLAŽEK Václav

Year of publication 2018
Type Article in Periodical
Magazine / Source Graeco-Latina Brunensia
MU Faculty or unit

Faculty of Arts

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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