quirquir

Latin

Etymology

Probably an emphatic reduplication of *quir (“where”), from Proto-Indo-European *kʷis (“who, what”) +‎ *-r (adverbial suffix), similar in construction to quisquis (“whoever, whatever”). Compare to the etymology of cūr (“why”).^[1]

Pronunciation

(Classical Latin) IPA^(key): /ˈkʷir.kʷir/, [ˈkʷɪrkʷɪr]
(modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /ˈkwir.kwir/, [ˈkwirkwir]

Adverb

quirquir (not comparable)

The meaning of this term is uncertain. Possibilities include:
1. Some type of emphatic interrogative or relative adverb, probably meaning “wherever.”

Usage notes

This term appears only in a difficult-to-translate augural formula cited in Marcus Terentius Varro, De lingua latina 7.8:

templa tescaque m(eae) fines ita sunto

quoad ego easte lingua nuncupavero

ollaner arbos quirquir est quam me sentio dixisse

templum tescumque m(ea) f(inis) esto in sinistrum

ollaber arbos quirquir est quod me sentio dixisse

templum tescumque m(ea) f(inis) esto ⟨in⟩ dextrum

inter ea conregione conspicione cortumione

utique eas rectissime sensi.^[2]

References

^ De Vaan, Michiel (2008) “cūr”, in Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 7), Leiden, Boston: Brill, →ISBN, pages 155-156
^ Palmer, Leonard Robert. The Latin Language. University of Oklahoma Press, 1954. 66

“?quirquir” on page 1716/3 of the Oxford Latin Dictionary (2nd ed., 2012)
quirquir in Gaffiot, Félix (1934) Dictionnaire illustré latin-français, Hachette.

[1] De Vaan, Michiel (2008) “cūr”, in Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 7), Leiden, Boston: Brill, →ISBN, pages 155-156

[2] Palmer, Leonard Robert. The Latin Language. University of Oklahoma Press, 1954. 66

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