ἀείδω

Validation

Yes

Last modification

Thu, 08/05/2021 - 14:03

Word-form

ἀηδών

Transliteration (Word)

aēdōn

English translation (word)

nightingale

Transliteration (Etymon)

aeidō

English translation (etymon)

to sing

Author

Herodian

Century

2 AD

Reference

Peri orthographias, Lentz III/2, p. 469

Edition

A. Lentz, Grammatici Graeci III/2, Leipzig 1870

Source

Theognostus

Ref.

Canones sive De orthographia 179

Ed.

J.A. Cramer, Anecdota Graeca e codd. manuscriptis bibliothecarum Oxoniensium, vol. 2, Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1835 (repr. Amsterdam: Hakkert, 1963)

Quotation

(Lentz) ἀηδών: τοῦτο καὶ σὺν τῷ ι. ἐκ γὰρ τοῦ ἀείδω ἀείδω ἀειδών καὶ τροπῇ τῆς ει Αἰολικῶς εἰς η ἀηδών καὶ φυλάττει τῆς ει τὸ ι

Translation (En)

Aēdōn "nightingale": also <spelled> with [i], because it comes from aeidō "to sing": *aeidōn, and by the Aeolic change of [ei] into [ē] aēdōn, and it keeps the [i]

Comment

Derivational etymology which is basically correct from a modern point of view, the nightingale being the "singer". The interesting point is the use of the Aeolic dialect to explain the [ē] of the noun while the verb has a diphthong [ei]: it relies on the correct linguistic observation that for contractions, Lesbian has η, ω, when Ionic-Attic has ει, ου (Gen. λόγω vs λόγου), and also in some words like ὠρανός vs Ion.-Att. οὐρανός. From there was extrapolated a rule "Aeolic (that is, Lesbian) turns ει into η", which was applied there although it is not a case of contraction. The "it keeps the [I] implies that some did spell ἀῃδών with iota subscript.

Parallels

Orion, Etymologicum, alpha, p. 28 (Ἀηδών, παρὰ τὸ ἀείδω, καὶ τροπῇ τῆς ει διφθόγγου εἰς η, ἀηδών); bT Schol. Il. 24.1b Erbse (οἱ δὲ ἀπὸ ῥήματος τοῦ ἄγω ἀγών, ὡς ἀείδω ἀηδών); Etym. Genuinum, alpha 122 (Ἀηδών· παρὰ τὸ ἀείδω ἀειδών, καὶ τροπῇ Αἰολικῇ τῆς ει διφθόγγου εἰς η ἀηδών. ἄλλοι δὲ τροπὴν μόνον λέγουσι γεγονέναι τοῦ ε εἰς η καὶ μένει τὸ ι προσγεγραμμένον); Epimerismi homerici Il. 1.1b1a (ἐκ τοῦ ἀείδω †Δωρικοῦ γίνεται ἀηδών διὰ τὸ η); Etym. Gudianum, alpha, p. 28 (Ἀηδών· παρὰ τὸ ἀείδω ἀειδών καὶ τροπῇ Αἰολικῇ τῆς ει εἰς η ἀηδών); ibid., p. 29 ( Ἀηδών· διὰ τὸ ἀεὶ ᾄδειν ἐν θέρει καὶ ἐν χειμῶνι· ἢ παρὰ τὸ ἀείδω ἀηδών κατὰ διάλεκτον Αἰολέων· ἢ διὰ τὸ ἡδυτάτως λαλεῖν); Eustathius, Comm. Il. 1, 15 Van der Valk (καὶ ἡ ἀηδὼν δὲ ἐκ τοῦ ἀείδειν παρετυμολογεῖται [τροπῇ, φασίν, Αἰολικῇ τῆς ει διφθόγγου εἰς η]); Etym. Magnum, Kallierges, p. 23 (Ἀηδών: Παρὰ τὸ ἀείδω, ἀειδών· καὶ τροπῇ Αἰολικῇ τῆς ΕΙ διφθόγγου εἰς η, ἀηδών. Οὕτως Ὠρίων. Ἄλλοι δὲ τροπῇ μόνον τοῦ ε εἰς η· τὸ δὲ ι προσγεγραμμένον); Etym. Symeonis, vol. 1, p. 92 (ἀηδών· παρὰ τὸ ἀείδω ἀειδών καὶ τροπῇ τῆς ει διφθόγγου εἰς η Αἰολικῶς ἀηδών. οὕτως Ὠρίων. ἄλλοι δὲ τροπῇ μόνον γεγονέναι τοῦ ε εἰς η λέγουσι καὶ μεῖναι προσγεγραμμένον τὸ ι. <ἕτεροι δὲ ἀπὸ τοῦ ἥδω, τὸ εὐφραίνω, καὶ τοῦ α κατ’ ἐπίτασιν ἡ κατὰ πολὺ ἥδουσα ἡμᾶς ἐν τῷ λέγειν>); Ps.-Zonaras, Lexicon, alpha, p. 57 (Ἀηδών. ἀπὸ τοῦ ἀείδω. ἀειδὼν, καὶ τροπῇ αἰολικῇ τῆς ει διφθόγγου εἰς η, ἢ μόνου τοῦ ε εἰς η ἀηδών); Scholia in Theocritum (scholia vetera) 7.139b (πολλὰ τῶν ζῴων ἀπὸ φωνῆς τὴν κλῆσιν ἔσχηκεν· ὀλολύζω ὀλολυγών, [στάζω σταγών,] ἀείδω ἀηδών, [πλάσσω πλαγγών,] τρύζω τρυγών, κοκκύζω κόκκυξ καὶ τὰ τοιαῦτα)

Modern etymology

Belongs with ἀείδω "to sing", αὐδή "voice". PIE *h2wed-, pace Beekes

Persistence in Modern Greek

MG has "αηδόνι" and also "αηδόνα", the last designating also a woman who sings beautifully.

Entry By

Le Feuvre