ἀναβαίνω

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Thu, 03/02/2023 - 22:23

Word-form

ἄμβων

Transliteration (Word)

ambōn

English translation (word)

crest (of a hill)

Transliteration (Etymon)

anabainō

English translation (etymon)

to go up

Author

Philoxenus

Century

1 BC

Reference

fr. *38

Edition

C. Theodoridis, Die Fragmente des Grammatikers Philoxenos [Sammlung griechischer und lateinischer Grammatiker (SGLG) 2. Berlin: De Gruyter, 1976

Source

Etymologicum Genuinum

Ref.

alpha 613

Ed.

F. Lasserre and N. Livadaras, Etymologicum magnum genuinum. Symeonis etymologicum una cum magna grammatica. Etymologicum magnum auctum, vol. 1, Rome: Ateneo, 1976

Quotation

Ἄμβων· ... παρὰ τὸ *βῶ βών, ὡς γηρύω Γηρυών, καὶ ἀνάβων καὶ κατὰ συγκοπὴν ἄμβων· παρὰ τὸ ἄνω βαίνειν.

Translation (En)

Ambōn "crest (of a hill)" : ...bōn from * "to walk", as Gēruōn "Geryon" from gēruō "to sing", then *anabōn and by syncopation ambōn ; from anō bainein "walking to the top".

Other translation(s)

Ambōn « sommet (d’une colline) » : ...bōn vient de * « marcher », comme Gēruōn « Géryon » de gēruō « faire résonner », puis *anabōn et avec syncope ambōn; de anō bainein « marcher vers le haut ».

Comment

Derivational etymology starting from the verb ἀμβαίνω with the monosyllabic variant of the reverb ἀνα-. Since βαίνω itself is assumed to derive from a monosyllabic *βῶ, the participle is assumed to be *βῶν, therefore from ἀναβῶν we obtain ἄμβων. The formal aspect of the etymology is regular in Philoxenus' framework. The position of the accent is not commented upon: it may have been (it is in later sources). That a word referring to the top of a mountain is derived from a verb meaning "to go up, to climb" could seem natural.

Parallels

Etym. Gudianum, alpha, p. 111 (Ἄμβων· κυρίως τὸ χεῖλος τῆς λοπάδος· <Eupol. fr. 52 Kock> „πολλῶν ἤδη λοπάδων τοὺς ἄμβωνας περιλείξας“. λέγ⸤ονται δὲ καὶ οἱ⸥ ὀρεινοὶ καὶ ⸤ὑψηλοὶ⸥ τόποι <ἄμβωνες>· <Callim. fr. an. 70 Schneider> „ἐπ’ οὔ⸤ρεος⸥ ἀμβώνεσσι“. παρὰ τὸ βῶ βών, ὡς γηρύω Γηρυών, καὶ ἀνάβων καὶ συγκοπῇ ἄμβων· παρὰ τὸ ἄνω βαίνειν./Ἄμβων· παρὰ τὸ ἄνω βαίνειν); Etym. Magnum, Kallierges, p. 81 (Ἄμβων: Κυρίως τὸ χεῖλος τῆς λοπάδος, παρὰ τὸ ἐν ἀναβάσει εἶναι· οἷον, Πολλῶν ἤδη λοπάδων τοὺς ἄμβωνας περιλείξας· Λέγονται δὲ καὶ οἱ ὀρεινοὶ καὶ ὑψηλοὶ τόποι· οἷον, Ἐπ’ οὔρεος ἀμβώνεσσι. Παρὰ τὸ βῶ βὼν, ὡς γηρυῶ Γηρυὼν, καὶ ἀναβὼν, καὶ συγκοπῇ ἄμβων· καὶ καθόλου προσανάβασις καὶ ὑπεροχὴ καὶ ὄρους λόφος); Etym. Symeonis, vol. 1, p. 388 (ἄμβων· κυρίως—389, 14 εἶναι, οἷον (Eupol. Fr. 52)· πολλῶν ἤδη λοπάδων τοὺς ἄμβωνας περιλείξας. λέγονται καὶ οἱ ὀρεινοὶ καὶ ὑψηλοὶ τόποι. παρὰ τὸ βῶ βών καὶ ἀνάβων καὶ κατὰ συγκοπὴν καὶ τροπὴν <τοῦ ν εἰς μ> καὶ ἀναβιβασμὸν τοῦ τόνου ἄμβων); Ps.-Zonaras, Lexicon, alpha, p. 142 (Ἄμβων. ὁ ὑψηλὸς τόπος. παρὰ τὸ βῶ, βῶν, καὶ ἀνάβων, καὶ κατὰ συγκοπὴν ἄμβων. κυρίως δὲ ἄμβων τὸ χεῖλος τῆς λοπάδος, παρὰ τὸ ἐν ἀναβάσει εἶναι. οἷον· πολλῶν ἤδη λοπάδων τοὺς ἄμβωνας παρειλείξειας)

Modern etymology

Unknown (Beekes, EDG)

Persistence in Modern Greek

MG still has άμβωνας, "pulpit". The meaning "hill brow" persists as an archaism.

Entry By

Eva Ferrer