On the meaning of “ruminor, -ari”

Jiacheng Liu

Member

Location:
Sina
Hello,

I’ve been pondering how does the word “ruminari” obtain its extended meaning of “pondering.” Any ideas?
 

Adrian

Civis Illustris

  • Civis Illustris

Hello,

It is a natural trait of language where verbs/ nouns/ other parts of speech are being used literally and figuratively.
to ruminate in figurative speech would more or less correspond to "turn matter over and over in mind" proces analogous to cud being turned over and over and processed in oral cavity (at least that is how I interpret it based on Perseus entry)
http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:1999.04.0059:entry=ruminor
 
 

rothbard

Aedilis

  • Aedilis

  • Patronus

Location:
London
See also Godmy's Forcellini here:
RŪMĬNO, as, (avi, ātum) are, a. et Ruminor, aris, ātus sum, ari, dep. 1. (rumen). Particip. Ruminans [...] Figurate. ¶ 1. Est in memoriam revocare, recensere, retractare: et adhibetur fere ruminor, aris, deponentis forma. Varro apud Non. p. 166. 27. Merc. Non modo absens quicquam de te sequius cogitabit, sed etiam ruminabitur humanitatem. Livius ibid. Nemo haec voster ruminabitur mulieri. Rursus Varro apud eumd. p. 480. 23. Merc. Erras, inquit, Marce: accusare nos ruminaris antiquitates. Id. ibid. Odysseam Homeri ruminari incipis. Gell. 19. 7. Figuras habitusque verborum nove aut insigniter dictorum in Laeviano illo carmine ruminabamur. - Rumino, as, forma activa. Symmach. 3. Ep. 13. extr. Dum carmina tua ruminas, dum epigrammata componis, fallitur doctis cogitationibus sensus laboris. et Ep. 96. Cujus edulio saturati ruminamus quotidie verba. Augustin. in psalm. 36. serm. 3. Qui autem est non oblitus, cogitat, et cogitando ruminat, ruminando delectatur.
 
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