* "arguere," meaning "to make bright, shine, or gleam," which suggests the idea of making something clear or illuminating.
* "augere," meaning "to increase, augment, or enlarge," which implies the idea of adding to or building upon something.
These roots, when combined, give us a sense of "argument" as a process of making something clear by building upon or increasing its clarity.
Over time, the word's meaning evolved to encompass the idea of a reasoned discussion or debate, where different points of view are presented and explored. This evolution reflects the core function of argument: to illuminate a topic, clarify different perspectives, and potentially reach a conclusion through reasoned exchange.
Here's a timeline of how the word "argument" developed:
* Ancient Latin: "Argumentum" was used to refer to the process of proof, evidence, or reasoning.
* Medieval Latin: The term gained a more sophisticated meaning, referring to a logical structure or a formal process of reasoning.
* Middle English: "Argument" began to acquire its contemporary meaning, encompassing debate, discussion, and the process of presenting and defending a viewpoint.
* Modern English: "Argument" now has a broad range of meanings, including a reasoned debate, a disagreement, a reason or explanation, and the specific points presented in a debate.
So, the word "argument" embodies the very process it describes: a process of making things clear, illuminating different perspectives, and potentially reaching a conclusion through reasoned discussion.