γίγνομαι + ἵημι

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Last modification

Fri, 05/05/2023 - 14:52

Word-form

γωνία

Transliteration (Word)

gōnia

English translation (word)

angle, corner

Transliteration (Etymon)

gignomai + hiēmi

English translation (etymon)

to become + to send

Author

Etym. Gudianum

Century

11 AD

Source

idem

Ref.

Etym. Gudianum, gamma, p. 327

Ed.

E.L. de Stefani, Etymologicum Gudianum, fasc. 1 & 2, Leipzig: Teubner, 1:1909; 2:1920 (repr. Amsterdam: Hakkert, 1965): 1:1-293; 2:294-580.

Quotation

Γωνία· διὰ τὸ τὰ γενόμενα ἵεσθαι ἤγουν φέρειν

Translation (En)

Gōnia "corner": because it sends forth (hiesthai), that is, carries, the buildings (genomena)

Comment

Compositional etymology, without any parallel, which makes it difficult to understand. It seems to refer to the architectural meaning "corner" of a building, from which the walls extend and which supports the roof. Τὰ γενόμενα means "the things produced", probably referring to buildings, but is not glossed as ἵεσθαι is by φέρειν.

Modern etymology

Derived from γόνυ as a metaphoric designation (compare in French coude "elbow" meaning "bend". The phonetics are Doric because this is the dialect used by the Pythagorean mathematicians (Beekes, EDG)

Persistence in Modern Greek

MG still has γωνία "angle" (learned word) and γωνιά "corner" (usual)

Entry By

Le Feuvre