βοή + ἐΰς

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No

Last modification

Fri, 10/21/2022 - 15:20

Word-form

βοῦς

Transliteration (Word)

bous

English translation (word)

ox

Transliteration (Etymon)

boē + eüs

English translation (etymon)

cry + good

Author

Joannes Mauropus

Century

11 AD

Source

Idem

Ref.

Etymologica nominum 291

Ed.

R. Reitzenstein, M. Terentius Varro und Johannes Mauropus von Euchaita: eine Studie zur Geschichte der Sprachwissenschaft, Leipzig: Teubner, 1901

Quotation

Ἠὺς βοὴν βοῦς καὶ βοᾷ λίαν μέγα 

Translation (En)

The ox (bous) is good (ēus) at shouting (boēn) and its cry is very loud

Comment

Compositional etymology refining on Herodian's etymology deriving βοῦς from βοάω (see βοῦς / βοάω) by providing as the etymon a syntagm "of the good cry", modelled after the Homeric βοὴν ἀγαθός, epithet of warriors" meaning "of the good war-cry". The use of the Homeric adjective ἠΰς as synonym of ἀγαθός is in keeping with the learned character of this etymology. The fact that ἠΰς, ἐΰς is only used as first member in compounds, never as second member, did not bother Mauropus

Parallels

There is no parallel

Modern etymology

Most scholars assume that *gwow- "cow, ox", known from all IE languages, is in fact derived from *gweh3- "to feed", root found in βόσκω, βόσις (Beekes, EDG)

Persistence in Modern Greek

Βου- survives only in compounds in the learned language, The word has been replaced by the old diminutive βοΐδιον > Mo. Gr. βόδι

Entry By

Le Feuvre