praefationem

Praefationem is the accusative singular form of the Latin noun praefatio, which designates a preface or foreword to a work. In Latin texts, a praefatio is an introductory section that may explain the book’s aims, summarize its contents, acknowledge patrons, or situate the work within a scholarly or literary tradition. The term highlights the act of speaking prior to the main text and is distinct from a prologus (prologue), though the two may overlap in function.

Etymology and form: praefatio derives from prae- “before” and a root related to speaking or saying, capturing the sense of a statement made before the body of the work. The form praefationem is the direct object in Latin sentences, as in “legit praefationem” (he reads the preface) or “in praefationem libri scribit” (he writes a preface to the book).

Usage and context: In classical and medieval literature, a praefatio serves as the author’s or editor’s introductory remarks, often outlining purpose, scope, and method, or noting textual transmission and patronage. It can vary in length and tone, and may function as a dedicatory or critical preliminary note in some manuscripts.

Ecclesiastical use: In the Roman Catholic liturgy and other ecclesiastical contexts, praefatio also denotes the liturgical preface said by the celebrant before the Eucharistic Prayer. This preface, which varies with season or feast, introduces the central prayer of the celebration rather than a secular book’s introduction.

See also: prologus (prologue), prefatio (the broader concept of a preface in Latin and Romance languages). Praefationem as a form appears mainly in Latin texts and scholarly editions, while its semantic relatives appear across languages as the foreword or preface.

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