μέλω
Word
Validation
Word-form
Word-lemma
Etymon-lemma
Transliteration (Word)
English translation (word)
Transliteration (Etymon)
English translation (etymon)
Century
Source
Ref.
Ed.
Quotation
Μελιταῖα κυνίδια: μικρά, παρὰ τὸ μέλ[λ]ω, τὸ φροντίζω· τὰ ἐπιμελείας χρείαν ἔχοντα
Translation (En)
"Melitean" (melitaia) dogs: they are small (dogs), the term comes from "to take care" (melō), that is "to take an interest in"; the dogs that need care
Other translation(s)
Cagnolini melitei: sono cani piccoli, il termine deriva da "prendersi cura", cioè "interessarsi a"; cani che hanno bisogno di attenzioni
Parallels
Etym. Magnum, Kallierges p. 577 (<Μελιταῖα κυνίδια>: Λέγεται ὅτι πλησίον Ἰταλίας νῆσος ἐστὶ Μελίτη, ἐξ ἧς γίνεται· ἢ τὰ μικρὰ, τὰ ἐπιμελείας χρείαν ἔχοντα· παρὰ τὸ μέλω, τὸ φροντίζω) ; Scholia recentiora in Clem. Alexandr., p. 337 ed. O. Stählin and U. Treu, (Μελιταῖον κυνίδιον (...) ἢ ἀπὸ τοῦ μέλω εἴρηται, τοῦ φροντίζω, τὸ φροντιστικὸν καὶ φρουρητικόν· τοιοῦτον γὰρ τὸ γένος).
This etymological link seems to be suggested already in a cynegetical anonymous text : Ps.-Tim. in Arist. Byz., Epit. 2.197 (αἱ δὲ Μελιταῖαι κύνες πρὸς τάχος καλαί, ἐπιμελείας δὲ δεόμεναι)
Bibliography
J. Busuttil, "The Maltese Dog", Greece & Rome 16 (1969), 205-208.
N. Cinaglia, "Immaginario di un compagno di giochi e di vita: il cane di razza maltese", Ostraka 21.1-2 (2012), 109-136.
Comment
This etymology is attested only for the neutral form melitaion and connects the name of a special type of pet dog to the verb "to take care" (melō). The name of the dog would therefore derive from the passive sense of the verb referring to the solicitude that the owner of the animal should exercise in raising this particular type of dog. The same relationship of verbal derivation can also be found in Clemens of Alexandria's scholia (see the Parallels section). In this latter case, however, the Melitean dog is considered a watchdog and the derivation seems to depend on the active form of the same verb with the meaning of "being vigilant". The etymology deriving the zoonym melitaion from the island of Melite, variously identified with Malta or the Croatian Mljet, is a commonplace (e.g. Callimachus, fr. 579 Pfeiffer; Suda κ 227 Adler)