But were they talking about emotions? Affectus, affectio, and the history of emotions

Journal article


Champion, Michael, Garrod, Raphaële, Haskell, Yasmin and Ruys, Juanita Feros. (2016). But were they talking about emotions? Affectus, affectio, and the history of emotions. Rivista Storica Italiana. 128(2), pp. 521-543.
AuthorsChampion, Michael, Garrod, Raphaële, Haskell, Yasmin and Ruys, Juanita Feros
Abstract

This study investigates how Latinate writers from the classical world to the early modern might have referenced the concept of 'emotion'. It focuses on the polyvalent terms 'affectus' and 'affectio', as these not only appear to have been heavily implicated in premodern discourses about emotional states and dispositions, but are also the cognates of modern terms, such as 'affect' and 'affection', that are undeniably emotions-centred. The study provides a preliminary survey of what the terms 'affectus' and 'affectio' could denote in terms of emotions, considers whether they were synonyms or signified discretely, and explores the expansion of their meaning when used in compounds with terms denoting the mind or body. It uncovers no teleology, but rather the likelihood that usage was modulated according to genre and authority. In conclusion it suggests points of departure for further research that will be able to nuance and complicate this important word history.

Year2016
JournalRivista Storica Italiana
Journal citation128 (2), pp. 521-543
PublisherEdizioni Scientifiche Italiane
ISSN0035-7073
Web address (URL)https://www.edizioniesi.it/rivistastoricaitaliana/index.php?id=2016
Open accessPublished as green open access
Page range521-543
Author's accepted manuscript
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All rights reserved
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Open
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File Access Level
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Output statusPublished
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Print2016
Online2016
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Deposited25 Jan 2023
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