γίγνομαι + ἆθλον
Word
Validation
No
Word-form
γενέθλιον
Word-lemma
Transliteration (Word)
genethlios
English translation (word)
of birth
Transliteration (Etymon)
gignomai + athlon
English translation (etymon)
to become + contest
Century
1-2 AD
Reference
fr. 177
Edition
F.H. Sandbach, Plutarchi moralia, vol. 7, Leipzig: Teubner, 1967
Source
Stobaeus
Ref.
Anthologium 4.52b
Ed.
O. Hense and C. Wachsmuth, Ioannis Stobaei anthologium, 5 vols., 1-2:1884; 3:1894; 4:1909; 5:1912 (repr. 1958)
Quotation
ᾗ καὶ γενέθλιον τὴν <πρώτην> ἡμέραν καλοῦσιν, ὡς ἄθλων καὶ πόνων μεγάλων ἀρχὴν γενομένην.
Translation (En)
This is why they call genethlios "of birth" the first day <in life>, as it is (genomenēn) the beginning of the hardship (athlōn) and of great toil.
Parallels
There is no parallel
Modern etymology
Derivative of γένεθλον, itself derived from the root of γίγνομαι, ἐγενόμην, with the instrumental suffix -θλο-. PIE *genh1- "to be born" with cognates in all IE languages
Persistence in Modern Greek
MG still has γενέθλιος "of the origin" as a learned word
Entry By
Le Feuvre
Comment
Compositional etymology correctly relating the beginning of the word to the root of γίγνομαι, γένεσις, and relating the end to ἆθλον "contest, hardship". The initial vowel of ἆθλον is lost in the process. The syntax of the compound with the two provided etymons does not work, for γενέθλιος in this etymology does not mean "being hardship" but "being the beginning of hardship", with the essential word ἀρχή "beginning" providing the meaning but not contributing formally to the etymology, while on the other hand γενομένη does not contribute semantically to the etymology, but only formally. This is quite frequent in compositional etymologies.