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Why did historical linguists impute saeculum to PIE *se-? What semantic notions underlie them? All boldenings are mine. secular (adj) c. 1300, "living in the world, not belonging to a religious...
#2: Post edited
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PSTH
·
2021-11-13T00:36:17Z (about 3 years ago)
How does Latin saeculum ( “generation” or “lifetime") semantically relate to PIE root *se- "to sow"?
- How does saeculum ( “generation” or “lifetime") semantically relate to PIE root *se- "to sow"?
#1: Initial revision
by
PSTH
·
2021-11-13T00:31:03Z (about 3 years ago)
How does Latin saeculum ( “generation” or “lifetime") semantically relate to PIE root *se- "to sow"?
Why did historical linguists impute [*saeculum*](https://oxfordre.com/classics/classics/view/10.1093/acrefore/9780199381135.001.0001/acrefore-9780199381135-e-8233) to PIE _*se-_? What semantic notions underlie them? All boldenings are mine. ### [secular (adj)](https://www.etymonline.com/search?q=secular) > c. 1300, "living in the world, not belonging to a religious order," also "belonging to the state," from Old French seculer (Modern French séculier), from Late Latin saecularis "worldly, secular, pertaining to a generation or age," from Latin saecularis "of an age, occurring once in an age," from saeculum "age, span of time, lifetime, generation, breed." > > This is from Proto-Italic \*sai-tlo-, which, according to Watkins, is PIE instrumental element \*-tlo- + \*sai- "to bind, tie" (see [sinew](https://www.etymonline.com/word/sinew?ref=etymonline_crossreference "Etymology, meaning and definition of sinew ")), extended metaphorically to successive human generations as links in the chain of life. De Vaan lists as a cognate Welsh hoedl "lifespan, age." An older theory connected it to words for "seed," from **PIE root \*se- "to sow" (see [sow](https://www.etymonline.com/word/sow?ref=etymonline_crossreference#etymonline_v_23936 "Etymology, meaning and definition of sow ") (v.)**, and compare Gothic mana-seþs "mankind, world," literally "seed of men").