Des concepts nomades en latin médiéval ? L’exemple de FIGURA

Abstract

The author examines the application of the concept of "nomadic concepts" to Medieval Latin by analyzing the key terms Figura (figure), Spiritus (spirit), and Fructus (fruit). Drawing on lexicographical evidence from major Latin dictionaries (TLL, MLW, DML), the research traces semantic evolution from Antiquity through the medieval period. The analysis reveals that although Medieval Latin lexicographers routinely employ metaphorical, metonymical, and analogical approaches in their work, the systematic identification of conceptual nomadism proves challenging due to inconsistent domain categorization. The study demonstrates that Figura shows limited migration to new domains (natural history, law) while maintaining extensive usage across established fields (grammar, rhetoric, theology). Nevertheless, conclusive evidence of systematic conceptual nomadism toward the sciences remains elusive in the examined corpus.