Interesting one, this. I remember wondering the same thing about the two words. Nice one, Stranger!

And, yes, as both Bill and Faldage have stated, capitulare means to draw up chapter headings.

The explanation I found went along the lines of it being used by Roman or later empires' officers to refer to the actual document which contained the heads of agreement for a surrender. Originally the capitulation wasn't the actual surrender, it was the agreement to do so on terms, written or not. But the meaning kept sliding. Although, if you stop to think about it, capitulation is usually used to refer to a "graceful" surrender. Words like "rout", "defeat", "overthrow", etc., are used for the success of the use of main force without negotiation.

Gradually, this usage became the main one.

Recapitulate, on the other hand, underwent no such transformation in meaning. Its meaning remained as "to summarise what went before". I remember an English lecturer once stating that his lesson plan overhead foil, which contained the points he was going to cover, was a "precapitulation"!


The idiot also known as Capfka ...