Spanish Vocabulary: An Etymological Approach

Section 4.4. Time

SECTION . Time The Origins of “Time” In Latin there was a fundamental distinction between a point or fraction of time, represented by tempus (genitive temporis), and time in the continuous sense, represented by aevum—root of age (aevitas, shortened to aetas) and eternity (aeternitas). tempus also came to be applied to a “period” of weather, and then to weather in general. Initially a general period of time, tempestas later specialized in weather of the tempestuous type. No tengo el tiempo para hacerlo. I don’t have the time to do it. en el tiempo de Carlo Magno in the time of Charlemagne —tiempo muerto —time out (e.g., sports) —tiempo verbal, tiempo del verbo —verb tense (e.g., past, future) —matar el tiempo —(to) kill time —ganar tiempo —(to) save time, (to) gain time —perder (el) tiempo —(to) waste time, (to) lose time —gastar (el) tiempo —(to) waste time —al mismo tiempo —at the same time, simultaneously —con el tiempo —over time, with time —a su (debido) tiempo —in due course, in good time Siempre hace buen tiempo en agosto. It’s always good weather in August. tempus tiempo time, weather temporal () temporary, temporal, tempest, rainy spell temporal () temporal (relating to the temple), temporal bone temporario temporary (temporal is more  temporáneo common) temporada period of time, season temporada alta high season temporada baja low season temprano early . The anatomical temple—temporal () is related neither to time nor to the religious temple. T4311.indb 276 T4311.indb 276 8/31/07 6:44:00 AM 8/31/07 6:44:00 AM TIME  extemporáneo untimely, inopportune [extemporaneous] [improvisado] extemporaneous tempestad tempest, storm tempestuoso tempestuous, stormy intempestivo untimely, ill-timed ( extemporáneo, inoportuno) contratiempo contretemps contemporáneo contemporary, contemporaneous aetas edad age (acc. aetat-em) Edad Media Middle Ages medieval medieval eternidad eternity (acc. aeternitat-em) eterno eternal longevidad longevity coetáneo coetaneous, contemporary Coetáneo strictly speaking means “of the same age” but is now more commonly used as a synonym of contemporáneo, “of the same time”. The Four Seasons—Las cuatro estaciones Beginning with spring, the four Latin seasons were ver (pl. vera), aestas, autumnus, and hiems, the latter having an associated adjective hibernus and sharing a common root with Sanskrit Hima-laya (“abode of snow”). In the major Romance languages, “spring” was replaced by expressions relating to first or prime spring (Spanish, Portuguese, and Italian primavera) or season (French printemps ). Spanish primavera initially conserved the meaning of “beginning” of spring, with verano referring to the end of spring—beginning of summer. When primavera became the general term for “spring”, verano moved to “summer ”. The original Latin for “summer” survives in estío and estival, although verano and de verano are far more common. statio(n) estación season, station estación de tren train station . From primum tempus. T4311.indb 277 T4311.indb 277 8/31/07 6:44:00 AM 8/31/07 6:44:00 AM  SELEC TED TOPICS prima vera primavera spring, primrose [primavera] (tempus) verano summer veranum autumnus otoño autumn (tempus) invierno winter hibernum vernalis vernal vernal de verano summer (adj.)  veraniego veranear (to) summer (spend the summer) veraneante (summer) vacationer, summer resident veraneo summer vacation (tempus) estío summer (n.) aestivum estival summer (adj.), estival autumnalis otoñal autumnal, autumn (adj.) retoño sprout, shoot, child (fam.) hibernalis invernal hibernal, winter (adj.) hibernare invernar (to) winter (in a particular place) invernadero greenhouse efecto greenhouse effect invernadero hibernar (to) hibernate hibernación hibernation Year annus año year año bisiesto leap year, bissextile (year) annualis anual annual, yearly (adj.) anualmente annually, yearly (adv.) anales (pl.) annals annuitas anualidad annuity (annual payment or receipt) anuario annual (yearbook) . In the Roman calendar, a leap year was an annus bi(s)sextus (or bi[s]sextilis), since the sixth (sextus) day before March  (what we call February ) occurred twice (bis). T4311.indb 278 T4311.indb 278 8/31/07 6:44:01 AM 8/31/07 6:44:01 AM TIME  biennium bienio biennium (period of two years) biennalis bienal biennial (every two years) (adj. & n.f.) centenarius centenario centennial, centenary, centenarian millenarius milenario millennial, millenary, millenarian milenio millennium perennis perenne perennial anniversarius aniversario anniversary cumpleaños birthday (lit. one completes a year) decada década decade decennium decenio decennium, decade saeculum siglo century, Age (distinctive period) Siglo de Oro Golden Age (esp. Spain c. –) por los siglos de eternally, for ever and...