Post History
I grok that prae- + scribere ⟶ praescribere literally meant write before. But what semantic notions underlie write before with a title or right acquired through long use or uninterrupted possession...
#4: Post edited
by
PSTH
·
2022-03-17T03:59:02Z (about 2 years ago)
- I grok that _prae-_ + _scribere_ ⟶ _praescribere_ literally meant ***write before***. But what semantic notions underlie ***write before*** with **`a title or right acquired through long use or uninterrupted possession`**?
- >### [prescription (n.)](https://www.etymonline.com/word/prescription#etymonline_v_19450 "Origin and meaning of prescription")
- >
- >late 14c., *prescripcioun*, in law, "**`a title or right acquired through long use or uninterrupted possession`**," from Old French *prescription* (13c.) and directly from Latin *praescriptionem* (nominative *praescriptio*) "a writing before, order, direction," noun of action from past participle stem of *praescribere* "***write before***, prefix in writing; ordain, determine in advance," from *prae* "before" (see [pre-](https://www.etymonline.com/word/pre-?ref=etymonline_crossreference)) + *scribere* "to write" (from PIE root [*skribh-](https://www.etymonline.com/word/*skribh-?ref=etymonline_crossreference) "to cut").
- >
- >Meaning "act of establishing by rules" is from 1540s. The medical sense of "written directions from a doctor of the medicines or remedies to be used by a patient and the manner of using them" is recorded by 1570s. The word has been confused with [proscription](https://www.etymonline.com/word/proscription?ref=etymonline_crossreference) at least since c. 1400.
- I grok that _prae-_ + _scribere_ ⟶ _praescribere_ literally meant ***write before***. But what semantic notions underlie ***write before*** with **`a title or right acquired through long use or uninterrupted possession`**?
- These notions contradict each other — because if you possessed writing before acquiring a title or right that authorized you to do so, you wouldn't need **`"long use or interrupted possession`"** to acquire that title or right!
- >### [prescription (n.)](https://www.etymonline.com/word/prescription#etymonline_v_19450 "Origin and meaning of prescription")
- >
- >late 14c., *prescripcioun*, in law, "**`a title or right acquired through long use or uninterrupted possession`**," from Old French *prescription* (13c.) and directly from Latin *praescriptionem* (nominative *praescriptio*) "a writing before, order, direction," noun of action from past participle stem of *praescribere* "***write before***, prefix in writing; ordain, determine in advance," from *prae* "before" (see [pre-](https://www.etymonline.com/word/pre-?ref=etymonline_crossreference)) + *scribere* "to write" (from PIE root [*skribh-](https://www.etymonline.com/word/*skribh-?ref=etymonline_crossreference) "to cut").
- >
- >Meaning "act of establishing by rules" is from 1540s. The medical sense of "written directions from a doctor of the medicines or remedies to be used by a patient and the manner of using them" is recorded by 1570s. The word has been confused with [proscription](https://www.etymonline.com/word/proscription?ref=etymonline_crossreference) at least since c. 1400.
#3: Post edited
by
PSTH
·
2022-03-17T03:49:28Z (about 2 years ago)
How did prae + scribere semantically shift from meaning "write before" ⟶ " "a title or right acquired through long use or uninterrupted possession"?
- How did prae + scribere semantically shift from meaning "write before" ⟶ "a title or right acquired through long use or uninterrupted possession"?
- I grok that _prae-_ + _scribere_ ⟶ _praescribere_ literally meant ***write before***. But what semantic notions underlie ***write before*** with **`a title or right acquired through long use or uninterrupted possession`**?
- >### [prescription (n.)](https://www.etymonline.com/word/prescription#etymonline_v_19450 "Origin and meaning of prescription")
- >
- >late 14c., *prescripcioun*, in law, "**`a title or right acquired through long use or uninterrupted possession`**," from Old French *prescription* (13c.) and directly from Latin *praescriptionem* (nominative *praescriptio*) "a writing before, order, direction," noun of action from past participle stem of *praescribere* "***write before***, prefix in writing; ordain, determine in advance," from *prae* "before" (see [pre-](https://www.etymonline.com/word/pre-?ref=etymonline_crossreference)) + *scribere* "to write" (from PIE root [*skribh-](https://www.etymonline.com/word/*skribh-?ref=etymonline_crossreference) "to cut").
- >
>Meaning "act of establishing by rules" is from 1540s. The medical sense of "written directions from a doctor of the medicines or remedies to be used by a patient and the manner of using them" is recorded by 1570s. The word has been confused with [proscription](https://www.etymonline.com/word/proscription?ref=etymonline_crossreference) at least since c. 1400.
- I grok that _prae-_ + _scribere_ ⟶ _praescribere_ literally meant ***write before***. But what semantic notions underlie ***write before*** with **`a title or right acquired through long use or uninterrupted possession`**?
- >### [prescription (n.)](https://www.etymonline.com/word/prescription#etymonline_v_19450 "Origin and meaning of prescription")
- >
- >late 14c., *prescripcioun*, in law, "**`a title or right acquired through long use or uninterrupted possession`**," from Old French *prescription* (13c.) and directly from Latin *praescriptionem* (nominative *praescriptio*) "a writing before, order, direction," noun of action from past participle stem of *praescribere* "***write before***, prefix in writing; ordain, determine in advance," from *prae* "before" (see [pre-](https://www.etymonline.com/word/pre-?ref=etymonline_crossreference)) + *scribere* "to write" (from PIE root [*skribh-](https://www.etymonline.com/word/*skribh-?ref=etymonline_crossreference) "to cut").
- >
- >Meaning "act of establishing by rules" is from 1540s. The medical sense of "written directions from a doctor of the medicines or remedies to be used by a patient and the manner of using them" is recorded by 1570s. The word has been confused with [proscription](https://www.etymonline.com/word/proscription?ref=etymonline_crossreference) at least since c. 1400.
#2: Post edited
by
PSTH
·
2022-03-17T03:49:14Z (about 2 years ago)
How did prae + scribere semantically shift from meaning "write before" ⟶ " "a title or right acquired through long use or uninterrupted possession"?t
- How did prae + scribere semantically shift from meaning "write before" ⟶ " "a title or right acquired through long use or uninterrupted possession"?
#1: Initial revision
by
PSTH
·
2022-03-17T03:48:53Z (about 2 years ago)
How did prae + scribere semantically shift from meaning "write before" ⟶ " "a title or right acquired through long use or uninterrupted possession"?t
I grok that _prae-_ + _scribere_ ⟶ _praescribere_ literally meant ***write before***. But what semantic notions underlie ***write before*** with **`a title or right acquired through long use or uninterrupted possession`**? >### [prescription (n.)](https://www.etymonline.com/word/prescription#etymonline_v_19450 "Origin and meaning of prescription") > >late 14c., *prescripcioun*, in law, "**`a title or right acquired through long use or uninterrupted possession`**," from Old French *prescription* (13c.) and directly from Latin *praescriptionem* (nominative *praescriptio*) "a writing before, order, direction," noun of action from past participle stem of *praescribere* "***write before***, prefix in writing; ordain, determine in advance," from *prae* "before" (see [pre-](https://www.etymonline.com/word/pre-?ref=etymonline_crossreference)) + *scribere* "to write" (from PIE root [*skribh-](https://www.etymonline.com/word/*skribh-?ref=etymonline_crossreference) "to cut"). > >Meaning "act of establishing by rules" is from 1540s. The medical sense of "written directions from a doctor of the medicines or remedies to be used by a patient and the manner of using them" is recorded by 1570s. The word has been confused with [proscription](https://www.etymonline.com/word/proscription?ref=etymonline_crossreference) at least since c. 1400.