Where does “subaltern” come from?
Subaltern comes from Middle French subalterne, from Late Latin subalternus, from Latin alternus meaning "alternating," derived from alter meaning "other," ultimately from Proto-Indo-European ád meaning "to" or "toward."
subaltern (English): Of a lower rank or position; inferior or...
Definitions
- Of a lower rank or position; inferior or...
Ancestry of “subaltern”, step by step
subaltern traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via French subalterne
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | French | subalterne | subaltern |
| 2 | Late Latin | subalternus | — |
| 3 | Latin | alternus | alternate (one after the other), successive |
| 4 | Latin | alter | the other, the second; the one...the other |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂élteros | other , second |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂el- | to grow, nourish; beyond, other; to wander, roam |
via Middle French subalterne
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle French | subalterne | — |
| 2 | Latin | subalternus | — |