ἀ- + κάρα
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Transliteration (Word)
English translation (word)
Transliteration (Etymon)
English translation (etymon)
Century
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Ed.
Quotation
Ἀκρίς· ἡ μεγαλοκέφαλος, παρὰ τὸ ἄγαν <κα>ραν εἶναι· οἱ δὲ παρὰ τὸ τοὺς ἄκρους στάχυας [νε]νέμεσθαι. [NB: Orion has ἄγαν ἄκραν, which does not match with the explanation μεγαλοκέφαλος]
Translation (En)
Akris "grasshopper": the big-head, from the fact it is a very (agan) <large> head (karan). But others say it is because it eats the top of the ears (of wheat)
Parallels
Etym. Magnum, Kallierges, p. 52 (Ἀκρίς: Ὀξυτόνως τὸ ζῷον. Παρὰ τὸ κάρη καρίς· καὶ μετὰ τοῦ στερητικοῦ α, ἀκαρίς· καὶ συγκοπῇ ἀκρὶς, ἡ κάραν μὴ ἔχουσα, ἡ μικροκέφαλος. Ἢ παρὰ τὸ μεγάλην κεφαλὴν ἔχειν· διάφορα γὰρ τὰ γένη τῶν ζῴων. Ἢ παρὰ τὴν ἄκραν. Οἱ δὲ, παρὰ τὸ τὰς ἄκρας τῶν ἀσταχύων καὶ τῶν φυτῶν νέμεσθαι)
Privative alpha only: Ps.-Zonaras, Lexicon, alpha, p. 106 (Ἀκρίς. παρὰ τὸ κάρη καρὶς, καὶ μετὰ τοῦ στερητικοῦ α ἀκαρίς. οἱ δὲ παρὰ τὸ τὰ ἄκρα τῶν ἀσταχύων καὶ φυτῶν νέμεσθαι)
Comment
The ἄγαν, usual translation in etymological dictionaries for the "intensive" ἀ-, matching the μεγαλο- in the equivalent μεγαλοφέφαλος, makes it clear that initial ἀ- is understood as the prefix, not as the result of a metathesis as in Choweoboscus' etymology (see ἀκρίς / κάρα). Therefore the complete etymology must be ἀκαρίς "having a large head", which then implies a syncope of the second [a]. The same syncope is found in other etymologies (see). Orion's ἄκραν instead of κἀραν may result from a contamination of the abbreviator with the following etymology, by ἄκρος. The Etym. Magnum gives two interpretations: either with a large head (intensive ἀ-) or "without head" (privative ἀ-), and assumes "without head" means "with a small head"