ἅμα

Validation

Yes

Last modification

Fri, 07/01/2022 - 01:01

Word-form

ἄμη

Transliteration (Word)

amē

English translation (word)

shovel

Transliteration (Etymon)

hama

English translation (etymon)

at the same time, together

Author

Orion

Century

5 AD

Source

Idem

Ref.

Etymologicum, alpha, p. 9

Ed.

F. Sturz, Orionis Thebani etymologicon, Leipzig, Weigel, 1820

Quotation

Ἄμη, τὸ σκαφεῖον· παρὰ τὸ ἀθροῖσαι καὶ ἐπισπᾶν· ἔνθεν καὶ τὸ ἀμήσατο παρὰ τῷ Ποιητῇ ἐπὶ τοῦ θερίζειν, παρὰ τὸ ὁμοῦ ἐπισπᾶν

Translation (En)

Amē "shovel": from the fact that it gathers and draws together; from where comes also the amēsato "he reaped" by Homer, for "to reap corn", from the fact that one draws together (homou)

Comment

Elliptic etymology, the gloss ἀθροῖσαι "to gather" is a verbal equivalent for ἅμα "together", in the absence of a verb derived from ἅμα. The explanation is clearer for the verb ἀμάω (παρὰ τὸ ὁμοῦ ἐπισπᾶν, with ὁμοῦ = ἅμα). The noun is derived from the same etymon as the verb ἀμάω (see ἀμάω / ἅμα). This led some to assume that ἄμη must be spelled with a rough breathing (see Choeroboscus).

Parallels

Choeroboscus, De spiritibus (excepta) p. 190 (Ἄμη, ἡ δρεπάνη. τινὲς δὲ δασύνουσι τὴν ἅμην, ἐτυμολογοῦντες ἀπὸ τοῦ ἅμα πολλοὺς τέμνειν στάχυας); Etym. Genuinum, alpha 643 (Ἄμη· τὸ γεωργικὸν ἢ οἰκοδομικὸν ἐργαλεῖον· παρὰ τὸ ἅμα γέγονεν ἄμη, τὸ ἅμα καὶ ὑφ’ ἓν ἕλκον πολλά. δύναται δὲ καὶ παρὰ τὸ ἀμᾶν, ὅ ἐστι κόπτειν καὶ θερίζειν. οὕτως Ὠρίων); Etym. Magnum, Kallierges, p. 82 (idem); Etym. Gudianum Additamenta, alpha, p. 113 (Ἄμη· τὸ γεωργικὸν ἢ οἰκο⸥δομι⸤κὸν ἐργαλεῖον⸥· παρὰ τὸ ἅ⟦μα, ὅτι⟧ πλατ⟦ὺ ὂν ἅμα⟧ καὶ ὑφ’ ἓν ⟦πολλὰ⟧ ἕλκει· ἢ παρὰ ⟦τὸ ἀμᾶν⟧, ὅ ἐστι κόπτειν καὶ θερίζειν); Ps.-Zonaras, Lexicon, alpha, p. 150 (Ἄμη. ἡ δρεπάνη. παρὰ τὸ ἅμα καὶ ὑφ’ ἓν πολλὰ ἕλκειν)

Modern etymology

Deverbal from ἀμάω. Within Greek, ἀμάω is related to ἄμητος "harvest". Cognates in Germanic (Old Engl. māwan, Engl. to mow), and Anatolian (Hitt. hamesha(nt)- "harvest time" (Beekes, EDG)

Persistence in Modern Greek

No

Entry By

Le Feuvre