Title: Toward the etymology of Latin littera
Source document: Graeco-Latina Brunensia. 2018, vol. 23, iss. 2, pp. 5-11
Extent
5-11
-
ISSN1803-7402 (print)2336-4424 (online)
Persistent identifier (DOI): https://doi.org/10.5817/GLB2018-2-1
Stable URL (handle): https://hdl.handle.net/11222.digilib/138767
Type: Article
Language
License: Not specified license
Notice: These citations are automatically created and might not follow citation rules properly.
Abstract(s)
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. *līta "linen cloth", mediated to Romans via Etruscans, adding the plural in -er-.
Note
The contribution originated under the auspice of the Fund for a specific research, Nr. 2817.