σπάω

Validation

No

Last modification

Mon, 04/10/2023 - 21:53

Word-form

σπείρω

Transliteration (Word)

speirō

English translation (word)

to sow seed

Transliteration (Etymon)

spaō

English translation (etymon)

to pull

Author

Philoxenus

Century

1 BC

Reference

fr. 176

Edition

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

Source

Orion

Ref.

Etymologicum, sigma, p. 147

Ed.

F.W. Sturz, Orionis Thebani etymologicon, Leipzig: Weigel, 1820 (repr. Hildesheim: Olms, 1973): 1-172

Quotation

Σπείρω· παράγωγον τοῦ σπῶ· ἅμα γὰρ τῷ καταβληθῆναι τὴν σπορὰν σπᾶται ὑπὸ τῆς γῆς τὸ χωρῆσαν εἰς αὐτήν. οὕτω Φιλόξενος. ὁ δὲ αὐτὸς λόγος καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν θηλειῶν, ὅτε δέχονται τὸ σπέρμα.

Translation (En)

Speirō "to sow seed": derived from *spō "to pull"; because at the same time as the seed (sporan) being buried, that in which it is contained pulls (spatai) it underground. That is what Philoxenus says. The same word is also applied to women, when they receive the semen (sperma). 

Other translation(s)

Speirō « semer » : dérivé de *spō « attirer » ; car en même temps que la semence (sporan) est enfouie, ce qui la contient l’attire (spatai) sous terre. Voilà ce qu’écrit Philoxène. Le même terme s’applique également aux femmes, lorsqu’elles reçoivent la semence (sperma).

Comment

Derivational etymology relying on the observation that the seed produces a root that goes downward.

Parallels

Etym. Gudianum, sigma, p. 502 (Σκαίρω, χορεύω, ὀρχοῦμαι, ὅτι ἀνεφάνη τὸ α ἐν τῷ μέλλοντι σκαρῶ· τοῦτο ἐκ τοῦ σπέρω, τοῦτο ἐκ τοῦ σπῶ· καὶ εἰς τὸ κάρις); Etym. Magnum, Kallierges, p. 723 (Σπείρων: Ἀπὸ τοῦ σπῶ, τὸ κατασπῶ· σπωμένη γὰρ ἡ γῆ δέχεται τὰ σπέρματα. Παράγωγόν ἐστι τοῦ σπῶ· ἅμα γὰρ τῷ καταβληθῆναι τὴν σπορὰν σπᾶται ὑπὸ τῆς γῆς τὸ χωρῆσαν εἰς αὐτήν. Οὕτω Φιλόξενος. Ὁ δὲ αὐτὸς λόγος καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν θηλειῶν, ὅτε δέχονται τὸ σπέρμα); Ps.-Zonaras, Lexicon, sigma, p. 1666 (Σπείρω. παρὰ τὸ σπῶ· ἅμα γὰρ καταβληθῆναι τὴν σπορὰν, σπᾶται ὑπὸ τῆς γῆς τὸ χωρῆσαν εἰς αὐτήν. ὡσαύτως καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν θηλειῶν)

Modern etymology

PIE *sper-, cognate with Hitt. ispar-i- "to spread out" (Beekes, EDG)

Persistence in Modern Greek

In MG, σπέρνω

Entry By

Eva Ferrer