ἄγαν + ἅλλομαι

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Last modification

Wed, 06/02/2021 - 16:09

Word-form

ἀγλαά

Transliteration (Word)

aglaos

English translation (word)

splendid

Transliteration (Etymon)

agan + allomai

English translation (etymon)

very + to leap

Author

Etym. Magnum

Century

12 AD

Source

Idem

Ref.

Etym. Magnum, Kallierges, p. 11

Ed.

T. Gaisford, Etymologicum Magnum, Oxford, 1848

Quotation

ἀγλαά: Τὰ λαμπρὰ, παρὰ τὴν αἴγλην, ὅ ἐστι τὴν λαμπρότητα, ἐφ’ οἷς τις ἀγάλλεται· ἢ παρὰ τὸ ἄγαν ἅλλεσθαι, ἀγαλαὰ, καὶ κατὰ συγκοπὴν ἀγλαά

Translation (En)

Aglaa ("splendid"): the shining objects, from aiglē which means "brightness", the one in which one exults. Or from agan ("very") and hallesthai ("to leap"), *agalaa and through syncope aglaa

Comment

This etymology is originally the etymology designed for ἀγάλλω (see ἀγάλλω / ἄγαν + ἅλλομαι). But since ἀγλαός itself is etymologized from ἀγάλλω (see ἀγλαός / ἀγάλλω), the etymology of the etymon ἀγάλλω was transferred to the lemma, implying some formal manipulations. The original formulation was ἐφ’ οἷς τις ἀγάλλεται, παρὰ τὸ ἄγαν ἅλλεσθαι, ἀγαλαὰ, καὶ κατὰ συγκοπὴν ἀγλαά, without ἤ, where παρὰ τὸ ἄγαν ἅλλεσθαι is an embedded etymology (etymology of the etymon) within the main etymology.

Parallels

Etym. Symeonis, vol. 1, p. 40 (ἀγλαά (Α 23 ...)· τὰ λαμπρά· παρὰ τὴν αἴγλην, τουτέστι τὴν λαμπρότητα, ἐφ’ οἷς τις ἀγάλλεται· ἢ παρὰ τὸ ἄγαν ἅλλεσθαι ἀγαλαά καὶ κατὰ συγκοπὴν ἀγλαά); Ps.-Zonaras, Lexicon, alpha, p. 30 (Ἀγλαά. τὰ λαμπρά. [παρὰ τὸ ἄγαν ἅλλεσθαι ἀγαλάα καὶ κατὰ συγκοπὴν ἀγλαά· ἢ παρὰ τὴν αἴγλην])

Modern etymology

Unclear, maybe connected with ἀγάλλομαι (Beekes, EDG)

Persistence in Modern Greek

The word is not used in Modern Greek but the verb αγλαΐζω "to adorn" is used as a learned form, as well as the noun "αγλάισμα". The proper name "Αγλαϊα" is refularly used" too.

Entry By

Le Feuvre