O pochodzeniu łacińskich przysłówków zakończonych na -iter

Abstract

The origin of the Latin adverbs ending with -iter remains unclear. They derived primitively not only from adjectives of the third declension, but also from many adjectives of declensions I and II (cf. Leumann 1963: 299; Hartleb-Kropidlo 1999). Researchers did not take into account the possibility that the Latin suffix -iter (typical of adverbs) may be genetically identical with the Celtic suffix *-itri- , which characterizes the so called EQUATIVE degree (Lat. aequativus ) of the adjectives in the Insular Celtic languages. Most Indo-European languages do not demonstrate such an adjectival formation. It is traditionally suggested that the Celtic languages introduced a grammatical innovation. Also the Latin adverbs ending with -iter appear to be absent in different Indo-European languages. However, it is possible to demonstrate that these two formations (attested in Latin and Celtic, respectively) are genetically related. The Insular Celtic adjective has three degrees of comparison: the equative, the comparative and the superlative (Pokorny 1914: 71–72; Thurneysen 1980: 232). The degree of equality is realized by an adjective with the suffix *-itri- (hence OIr. –ithir , -idir ), which is followed by the accusative of the noun. The equative denotes that the person or thing referred to possesses a certain quality in THE SAME degree as that with which he or it is compared. The latter is put in the accusative case(e.g. gilithir gruth ‘as white as milk [acc.]’) or expressed by a conjuctionless clause, e.g. OIr. soilsidir bid hi lugburt ‘as bright (as if) it were in a garden’; is firithir ad fiadar ‘it is as true (as) is reported’ (Thurneysen 1980: 232). Further examples: OIr. denithir ‘as hasty, as swift’ (< OIr. dian ‘hasty, swift’); demnithir ‘as certain’ (< demin ‘certain’); erlamaidir ‘as ready’ (< erlam ‘ready’); firithir ‘as true’ (< fir ‘true’ = Lat. vērus ); lerithir ‘as eager, as diligent’ (< ler ‘eager, diligent’); lethithir , lethidir ‘as broad’ (< lethan ‘broad’); remithir ‘as thick’ (< remur ‘thick’); soirbithir , soirbidir ‘as easy’ (< soirb ‘easy’); suthainidir ‘as lasting’ (< suthain ‘lasting’); tresithir ‘as strong’ (< tren ‘strong’); Middle Welsh gwennet ‘as white’ (< gwenn ‘white’), kynduhet ‘as black’ (< du ‘black’). According to the present author, the equative existed in Proto-Indo-European and it was created by the suffix * - teros (in the central area) and also *-itri- (in the western area). The Latin adverbs ending with -iter was used to create a similaritative formula, which seems analogous to the equative degree of adjective in the Insular Celtic languages.