δίδωμι + καλός

Validation

Yes

Word-form

διδάσκαλος

Transliteration (Word)

didaskalos

English translation (word)

teacher

Transliteration (Etymon)

didōmi + kalos

English translation (etymon)

to give + beautiful

Author

Orion

Century

5 AD

Source

Idem

Ref.

Etymologicum (cod. reg.) p. 177

Ed.

F.G. Sturz, Orionis Thebani etymologicon, Leipzig 1820

Quotation

Διδάσκαλός ἐστιν ὁ διδοὺς τὸ καλόν

Translation (En)

Didaskalos "teacher" is the one who gives (didous) what is beautiful (kalon)

Comment

The word is analyzed as a compound, as most long word forms, on the model of compounds displaying the structure verb + direct object like φερέζυγος ‘bearing the yoke". This etymology requires a formal manipulation, the change of the vowel [u] into [a] – this is not explicit in Orion's formulation.

Parallels

Etym. Parvum, delta 22 (idem); Etym. Gudianum, delta p. 177 (Διδάσκαλος· παρὰ τὸ διδόναι τὸ καλόν, ὁ διδοὺς καλόν· ἢ ὁ διδάσκων καλῶς); Etym. Magnum, Kallierges p. 272 (Ἀπὸ δὲ τοῦ διδάσκω, διδάσκαλος, ὡς ἵξω, ἵξαλος. Ἢ παρὰ τὸ διδόναι τὸ καλόν)

Modern etymology

Derived from διδάσκω

Persistence in Modern Greek

The word still exists under the form δάσκαλος "teacher"

Entry By

Le Feuvre