*ποτάζω

Validation

Yes

Word-form

ποταμός

Transliteration (Word)

potamos

English translation (word)

river

Transliteration (Etymon)

*potazō

English translation (etymon)

to drink

Author

Choeroboscus

Century

9 AD

Source

Idem

Ref.

Epimerismi in Psalmos p. 135

Ed.

T. Gaisford, Georgii Choerobosci epimerismi in Psalmos, vol. 3, Oxford, 1842

Quotation

ποταμός· παρὰ τὸ ποτάζω, τὸ ῥέω, ἢ παρὰ τὸ πότιμον ὕδωρ ἔχειν

Translation (En)

Potamos "river": from potazō "to flow", or from the fact that it has "drinkable" water

Comment

The assumed etymon is a ghost word ποτάζω, drawn from the compound οἰνοποτάζω "to drink wine". The explicit derivation is given by Choeroboscus elsewhere (see Parallels), together with the etymology by πότιμος and with the mention "this is what Herodian says". This led Lentz to attribute the etymology by ποτάζω to Herodian (referenced under Peri pathôn, Lentz III/2, p. 300). However, this is dubious: we know from an A scholion that Herodian derived ποταμός from πότιμος (see ποταμός / πότιμος), therefore the mention "this is what Herodian says" in Choeroboscus applies to the etymology by πότιμος, but probably not to the etymology by ποτάζω. The interversion of the two etymologies between the formulation on p. 135 (ποτάζω first, πότιμος second) and p. 162 (πότιμος first, ποτάζω second) may explain that the name of Herodian got associated wrongly with the explanation by ποτάζω

Parallels

Choeroboscus, Epimerismi in Psalmos, p. 162 (παρὰ τὸ πότιμον ὕδωρ ἔχειν, ἢ παρὰ τὸ ποτάζω ποτάσω ποταμός· οὕτως Ἡρωδιανός); Etym. Gudianum, pi, p. 477 (idem); Etym. Magnum, Kallierges, p. 684 (Ποταμός: Παρὰ τὸ πότος παρώνυμον· ποτὸς δὲ ὀξυνόμενον σημαίνει τὴν πόσιν, παροξυνόμενον δὲ σημαίνει τὸ συμπόσιον. Ἢ παρὰ τὸ ποτάζω, τὸ ῥέω· ἢ παρὰ τὸ πότιμον ὕδωρ ἔχειν)

Modern etymology

Probably derived from the root found in πέτομαι "to fly, to rush", referring to the quick motion of water (Beekes, EDG, who, however, concludes the etymology is uncertain)

Persistence in Modern Greek

Ποταμός is used with ποτάμι (neut.) in MG as 1. 'river' and 'massive flow'. Ποταμός, diminutive ποτάμιον, ποτάμι were used in Med. Greek (Em. Kriaras Dict. of Mediev. Vernacular Greek, vol. 17, s.v.). In MG there also are many derivatives and compounds.

Entry By

Le Feuvre