< Reconstruction:Latin

Reconstruction:Latin/sapius

This Latin entry contains reconstructed terms and roots. As such, the term(s) in this entry are not directly attested, but are hypothesized to have existed based on comparative evidence.

Latin

Etymology

Alteration of Classical sapidus (“delicious, wise”), with semantic specialization to the later meaning. Possibly restructured according to the verb sapere (“taste, know”) + an ending -us taken from the antonym nescius (“foolish, ignorant”).

Pronunciation
  • IPA(key): /ˈsabjos/

Adjective

*sapius (feminine *sapia, neuter *sapium); first/second-declension adjective (Proto-Gallo-Romance)

  1. wise

Reconstruction notes

Attested in French from ca. 1050 (Vie de saint Alexis), Occitan from between 1054 and 1076 (Cançó de Santa Fe),[1] and Catalan from ca. 1275 (Llibre del gentil e dels tres savis).[2]

In theory, Iberian outcomes such as Spanish sabio could also be attached to this reconstruction. However, it is only in Gallo-Romance that one observes two sets of inherited reflexes of sapidus showing both divergent phonological evolutions and semantics.

Descendants
  • Catalan: savi (always pronounced /b/, despite the spelling)
  • Old Franco-Provençal: savio, *sajo
    • Franco-Provençal: sâjo, chazou, chazhe, châdzo
  • Old French: savie, sage (see there for further descendants)
  • Old Occitan: savi (see there for further descendants)

References
  1. Walther von Wartburg (1928–2002), “sapĭdus”, in Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch (in German), volume 11: S–Si, page 204
  2. “savi” in Diccionari català-valencià-balear, Antoni Maria Alcover and Francesc de Borja Moll, 1962.
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