ἀ- + τρέω

Validation

No

Last modification

Mon, 03/13/2023 - 20:06

Word-form

ἀτρεκέως, ἀτρεκές, ἀτρεκής

Transliteration (Word)

atrekēs

English translation (word)

precise

Transliteration (Etymon)

a- + treō

English translation (etymon)

not + to fear

Author

Philoxenus

Century

1 BC

Reference

fr. *54

Edition

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

Source

Etymologicum Genuinum

Ref.

alpha 1374

Ed.

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

Quotation

Ἀτρεκέως καὶ ἀτρεκές· ... ἢ παρὰ τὸ τρέω, ὃ σημαίνει τὸ δέδοικα, γίνεται τρεὴς καὶ ἀτρεὴς καὶ πλεονασμῷ τοῦ κ ἀτρεκής· ὁ γὰρ εὐθαρσὴς καὶ εὔτολμος τὴν ἀλήθειαν λέγει, ὁ δὲ δεδοικὼς ψεύδεται.

Translation (En)

Atrekeōs "precisely" and atrekes "precise": ...or from treō, which means "to fear", are made *treēs, *atreēs and atrekēs by addition of [k]; because one that is courageous and brave-spirited tells the truth, whereas one that is scared lies.

Other translation(s)

Atrekeōs « exactement » et atrekes « exact » : ...ou bien à partir de treō, qui signifie « craindre », sont faits *treēs, *atreēs et atrekēs avec ajout du [k]; car celui qui est courageux et assuré dit la vérité, tandis que celui qui a peur ment.

Comment

The word is parsed as a privative compound, which is probably correct. The etymon is assumed to be τρέω "to fear", from which -τρεκής is derived at the cost of one formal manipulation, the insertion of a consonant. The semantic aspect relies on a causal implication: so speak exactly is to speak frankly, therefore without fear. The lemma ἀ-τρε[κ]ής is etymologized by the cause "without fear".

Parallels

Etym. Magnum, Kallierges, p. 165 (Ἀτρεκὲς ἇιμ’ ἔσσευα βαλών: Ἀληθὲς αἷμα ἐξέβαλον. Καὶ ἀτρεκέως, ἐπίρρημα μεσότητος. [...] Ἢ παρὰ τὸ τρέω, ὃ σημαίνει τὸ δέδοικα, γίνεται τρεὴς καὶ ἀτρεής· καὶ πλεονασμῷ τοῦ κ, ἀτρεκής· ὁ γὰρ εὐθαρσὴς καὶ εὔτολμος τὴν ἀλήθειαν λέγει)

Modern etymology

Unknown (Beekes, EDG)

Persistence in Modern Greek

No

Entry By

Eva Ferrer