φέρω + νόος

Validation

No

Last modification

Sun, 12/18/2022 - 10:00

Word-form

φρήν

Transliteration (Word)

phrēn

English translation (word)

mind

Transliteration (Etymon)

pherō + noos

English translation (etymon)

to carry + thought

Author

Joannes Mauropus

Century

11 AD

Source

Idem

Ref.

Etymologica nominum 259

Ed.

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

Quotation

καὶ φρὴν φέρει νοῦν ὡς κάρα καὶ καρδία

Translation (En)

And the mind (phrēn) carries (pherei) the thought (noun), as the head and the heart

Comment

Compositional etymology parsing the word as a VO compound. The etymology only retains the consonants of the etymons.

Parallels

Tzetzes, Exegesis in Homeri Iliadem 1.115 (φρένας· φερένας καὶ φρένας τὰς φερούσας <τὸν> νοῦν)

Modern etymology

The proper meaning is "midriff". The noun is an n-stem belonging with φράζομαι "to think". No known cognate in other IE languages (Beekes, EDG)

Persistence in Modern Greek

MG still has φρένες as a learned word in ready-made phrases (είναι έξω φρενών, δεν έχει σώας τας φρένας)

Entry By

Le Feuvre