Jungere

Jungere is a term that occasionally appears in discussions of Latin grammar as an alleged infinitive form of a verb meaning “to join” or “to unite.” In standard classical Latin, however, the canonical infinitive is iungere. Jungere is not attested as a formal, separate verb with its own conjugation in authoritative dictionaries; when it occurs, it is usually regarded as a nonstandard spelling, a scribal variant, or an error rather than a distinct lexical entry.

Etymology and relation to other forms: Jungere would be related to the Latin root iung-, found in iungo (I join) and iunctus (joined). The common Latin infinitive iungere derives from Proto-Italic *yung- and ultimately from the Proto-Indo-European root *yeug- “to yoke, join.” Because jungere is not a standard form, etymological discussion typically treats it as a mistaken variant rather than a separate lineage.

Usage and grammatical notes: In proper Latin, one uses iungere in statements such as “duas partes iungere” (to join two parts) or “corpora iunguntur” (the bodies are joined). If a text presents jungere, readers should interpret it as a possible orthographic irregularity or a medieval/nonstandard autograph rather than as evidence of a distinct verb with its own paradigm.

Comparative outlook: The concept of joining is expressed in related Romance languages with different inflections and spellings, such as Italian giungere (to reach) or Spanish unir (to join). These forms reflect the same Latin root but diverge in spelling and meaning across languages.

See also: iungo, iungere, iunctus, joining, yoke.