spefom

Umbrian

The spelling of this entry has been normalized according to the principles established by Wiktionary's editor community or recent spelling standards of the language.

Etymology

Accepted to be ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *spend-tós (“libated”). It is however uncertain whether:

1. (sense 1.1): its sense remained close to the original
2. (sense 1.2): it diverged like in Latin spondeō (“promise, pledge, guarantee”).

Adjective

spefom

1. The meaning of this term is uncertain. Possibilities include:
   2. libated, seasoned, besprinkled (possibly with salt)

      mefam spefam ― seasoned flatbread

   4. offered, being an offering in a ritual

      mefam spefam ― offered flatbread

References

• Ancillotti, Augusto, Cerri, Romolo (2015) “spefa”, in Vocabolario dell'umbro delle tavole di Gubbio [Vocabulary of Umbrian and of the Iguvine Tables] (in Italian), page 47
• De Vaan, Michiel (2008) “spondeō”, in Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 7), Leiden, Boston: Brill, →ISBN, page 582
• Buck, Carl Darling (1904) “spefa”, in A Grammar of Oscan and Umbrian: With a Collection of Inscriptions and a Glossary, page 346