Βάκχος + τηρέω

Validation

Yes

Last modification

Mon, 06/21/2021 - 13:30

Word-form

βακτηρία

Transliteration (Word)

baktēria

English translation (word)

stick, staff

Transliteration (Etymon)

Bakkhos + tēreō

English translation (etymon)

Bacchus + to ward

Author

Tzetzes

Century

12 AD

Source

Idem

Ref.

Scholia in Aristophanem (scholia recentiora), Commentarium in Plutum 272b

Ed.

L. Massa Positano, Jo. Tzetzae commentarii in Aristophanem [Scholia in Aristophanem 4.1. Groningen: Bouma, 1960]

Quotation

ἐτυμολογεῖται δὲ βακτηρία παρὰ τὸ τὴν βάσιν τηρεῖν. βακτηρία δὲ καὶ ὁ χάραξ, ἀπὸ τοῦ τηρεῖν τὸν Βάκχον ἤτοι τὴν ἄμπελον

Translation (En)

Baktēria "staff" is etymologized from "to ward" (tēreîn) the walk (basin). But baktēria also means "pole", from the fact that it wards (tēreînBacchus, that is, the grape.

Comment

Variation on the etymology formulated first, βάσις + τηρέω, applied to a specific meaning of βακτηρία referring to the stakes used to grow vine. Bacchus is used metaphorically as a name of wine, itself the product of vine (ἄμπελος). As often, only the first syllable of the first element is kept, while the following syllable is assumed to be dropped in the compound.

Parallels

There is no parallel

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