βάσις + τηρέω

Validation

Yes

Last modification

Mon, 06/21/2021 - 12:05

Word-form

βακτηρία

Transliteration (Word)

baktēria

English translation (word)

stick, staff

Transliteration (Etymon)

basis + tēreō

English translation (etymon)

stepping + to watch over, to ward

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

Βακτηρία. παρὰ τὸ τὴν βάσιν τηρεῖν

Translation (En)

baktēria "staff": from the fact it wards (tērein) the walk (basin)

Comment

Compositional etymology implying a segmentation βακ-τηρ-, and therefore the addition of a [k] (which remains implicit). Only the first syllable of the first element is kept in the compound, which in that case agrees with the morphological segmentation as -σι- as a suffix. This is a functional etymology: function of the staff is to keep the walking man from falling and to guard him.

Parallels

Etym. Gudianum, beta, p. 257 (Βακτηρία· διὰ τὸ τὸν βαίνοντα τηρεῖν); Erym. Gudianum Additamenta, beta, p. 257 (  παρὰ τὸ τὴν βάσιν τηρεῖν); Etym. Magnum, Kallierges, p. 185 (Βακτηρία: Ἀπὸ τοῦ ἐρείδειν τὴν βάσιν ἐπ’ αὐτῆς· τουτέστι στήριγμα εἶναι τοῦ περιπατεῖν καὶ βαδίζειν εὐκόλως. Ἢ παρὰ τὸ τὴν βάσιν τηρεῖν); Etym. Symeonis, vol. 1, p. 386 (idem); Ps.-Zonaras, Lexicon, beta, p. 372 (idem);  Scholia in Aristophanem, Plut. 272b, Scholia vetera 272b (βακτηρία” ἤτοι ἡ τὴν “βάσιν τηροῦσα”, καὶ ποιοῦσα ἑδραίαν, ἢ “βατηρία” τις οὖσα, οἱονεὶ βάσεως αἰτία, καὶ ἐν πλεονασμῷ τοῦ “κ” <βακτηρία>);Scholia in Aristophanem, Plut. 272b, Scholia recentiora Tzetzae (ἐτυμολογεῖται δὲ βακτηρία παρὰ τὸ τὴν βάσιν τηρεῖν)

Modern etymology

Cognate with Lat. baculum "staff", Old Irish bacc "hook" (Beekes, EDG)

Persistence in Modern Greek

MG still has βακτηρία "staff" (and βακτήριον "bacteria")

Entry By

Le Feuvre