ἀντί + κάρα

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Wed, 07/13/2022 - 01:01

Word-form

ἀντικρύ

Transliteration (Word)

antikru

English translation (word)

opposite

Transliteration (Etymon)

anti + kara

English translation (etymon)

against + head

Author

Herennius Philo

Century

1-2 AD

Reference

De diversis verborum significationibus

Source

Etym. Gudianum

Ref.

Etym. Gudianum, alpha, p. 151

Ed.

E. de Stefani, Etymologicum Gudianum 1, Leipzig, 1909

Quotation

Ἑρεννίου. Πτολεμαίου Ἄντικρυς καὶ ἀντικρύ διαφέρει· ἄντικρυς σημαίνει τὸ φανερῶς, ἀντικρὺ δὲ τὸ ἐξ ἐναντίας. παρὰ τὴν ἀντί καὶ τὸ κάρα ἀντικαρύ καὶ συγκοπῇ ἀντικρύ, τὸ ὡς ἂν εἴποι τις ἀντικέφαλα, ἐξ ἐναντίας. τοιοῦτον ἐν συγκοπῇ καὶ τὸ κρᾶναι, τὸ ἐπιτελέσαι διὰ τοῦ νεύματος τῆς κεφαλῆς. τὸ κρυ μακρὸν φύσει.

Translation (En)

Herennius. Ptolemaeus. Antikrus and antikru are different: antikrus means "openly", but antikru "opposite". From anti "against" and kara "head", *antikaru and through syncope antikru, as one would say *antikephala "against-head", opposite. A similar syncope is found in krānai "to achieve" by nodding the head. The [kru] is long by nature.

Comment

The morphological segmentation is correct, but the second element is not κάρα "head", but probably a form related to κρούω "to strike". The compound is assumed to transpose a prepositional phrase "against the head", "in front of the head". The instances of ἀντικρύ in Homer for a weapon aimed at the head may have suggested the connection with κάρα (e.g. Il. 5.74 ἀντικρὺ δ’ ἀν’ ὀδόντας ὑπὸ γλῶσσαν τάμε χαλκός, or Il. 16.346-7 νύξε· τὸ δ’ ἀντικρὺ δόρυ χάλκεον ἐξεπέρησε | νέρθεν ὑπ’ ἐγκεφάλοιο), but such occurrences are few in Homer. This requires a simple formal manipulation, a syncope. The final [u] is not explained.

Parallels

Etym. Genuinum, alpha 917 (Ἀντικρύ Γ 359· τὸ ἐξ ἐναντίας. διαφέρει τὸ ἀντικρύ τοῦ ἄντικρυς· τὸ μὲν γὰρ ἄντικρυς δηλοῖ τὸ φανερῶς, τὸ δὲ ἀντικρύ τὸ ἐξ ἐναντίας· παρὰ τὴν ἀντί καὶ τὸ κάρα ἀντίκαρα καὶ συγκοπῇ ἀντικρύ, τὸ κατέναντι. Μεθόδιος); Epimerismi homerici ordine alphabetico traditi, alpha 205 (ἀντικρύ (Γ 359): ἐκ τοῦ κάρα καὶ τῆς ἀντί προθέσεως ἀντικαρύ καὶ συγκοπῇ, ὡς ἂν εἴποι τις ἀντικέφαλα. τὸ κρυ μακρὸν φύσει); Eustathius, Comm. Il. 2, 32 Van der Valk (Γίνεται δὲ κατὰ τοὺς παλαιοὺς τὸ ἀντικρύ παρὰ τὴν ἀντι πρόθεσιν καὶ τὸ κάρα, ἵνα ᾖ κυρίως ἀντικαρύ καὶ ἐν συγκοπῇ ἀντικρύ τὸ κατέναντι, οὗ πρὸς ὁμοιότητα ἐρρέθη τὸ ἀντιπρόσωπον); Etym. Magnum, Kallierges, p. 114 (Ἄντικρυς: Σημαίνει τὸ φανερῶς· ἀντικρὺ δὲ, τὸ ἐξεναντίας. Παρὰ τὸ ἀντὶ, καὶ τὸ κάρα, ἀντί-   καρα, ἀντικαρὺ, καὶ συγκοπῇ ἀντικρὺ, τὸ κατέναντι· (τοιοῦτον ἐν συγκοπῇ καὶ τὸ κρᾶναι, τὸ ἐπιτελέσαι διὰ τοῦ νεύματος τῆς κεφαλῆς) ὡς ἂν εἴποι τὶς, ἀντικέφαλα); Etym. Symeonis, vol. 1, p. 76 (ἀντικρύς (Γ 359)· τὸ ἐξ ἐναντίας· παρὰ τὴν ἀντί πρόθεσιν καὶ τὸ κάρα ἀντικαρύ καὶ ἐν συγκοπῇ ἀντικρύ); Ps.-Zonaras, Lexicon, alpha, p. 225-226 (Ἀντικρύ. ἐξ ἐναντίας, κατέναντι. παρὰ τὴν ἀντὶ καὶ τὸ κάρα ἀντικαρὺ, καὶ ἐν συγκοπῇ ἀντικρύ)

Modern etymology

Despite Beekes doubts, the most likely etymology remains the link with κρούω "to strike"

Persistence in Modern Greek

MG still uses αντκρύ as a vernacular adverb for "opposite", but the standardized form is αντίκρυ, without/with prepos. ("σε", "από"), or with genitive of a pers. pron.: "αντίκρυ σου". See also derivatives as verb αντικρίζω (ανίκρυ + -ίζω), αντικριστός etc

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