δαίω2

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Thu, 06/24/2021 - 22:57

Word-form

αἶσα

Transliteration (Word)

aisa

English translation (word)

destiny, share

Transliteration (Etymon)

daiō

English translation (etymon)

to divide

Author

Herodian

Century

2 AD

Reference

Peri orthographias, Lentz III/2, p. 425

Edition

A. Lentz, Grammatici graeci III/2, Leipzig 1870

Source

Theognostus

Ref.

Canones sive De orthographia 584

Ed.

J.A. Cramer, Anecdota Graeca e codd. manuscriptis bibliothecarum Oxoniensium, vol. 2, Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1835 (repr. Amsterdam: Hakkert, 1963)

Quotation

τὸ αἶσα, ὅ ἐστι παραγωγὸν ἀπὸ τοῦ δαίω τὸ μερίζω

Translation (En)

Aisa "destiny", which is derived from daiō "to divide"

Comment

Derivational etymology implying one formal manipulation, the loss of the initial consonant. Destiny is etymologized as the "share". This etymology was suggested by the parallel etymology for the synonym μοῖρα "destiny", which Greek grammarians derived from the root meaning "to divide" (μερίζω), as is explicit in later sources (see Parallels)

Parallels

Ps.-Herodian, Fragmentum grammaticum quod incipit a vocibus ζητοῦμεν καὶ τὴν τοῦ Ἄρης, Cramer p. 239 (ἀπὸ γοῦν τὸ δαίω τὸ ῥηματικὸν ὄνομα δαίσα καὶ αἶσα, ἡ μεμερισμένη ἑκάστῳ· καὶ γὰρ μοίρα παρὰ τὸ μεμερίσθαι); bT Schol. Il. 20.127 (αἶσαν δὲ παρὰ τὸ δαίω τὸ μερίζω, καὶ μοῖραν καὶ εἱμαρμένην παρὰ τὸ μείρω· πεπρωμένην, ὅτι πάντας εἰς πέρας ἄγει); Etym. Gudianum, alpha, p. 54 (Αἶσα· ἡ μοῖρα καὶ εἱμαρμένη. παρὰ τὸ δαίω, τὸ μερίζω, δαίσω δαῖσα, ὡς βήσω βῆσα καὶ <βῆσσα καὶ> πείσω πεῖσα, ἡ πεισμονή· καὶ ἀποβολῇ τοῦ δ αἶσα, ἡ ἑκάστῳ μεμερισμένη. ἢ παρὰ τὸ ἀεὶ ἴση· πᾶσι γὰρ ἴσως ἔπεισιν); ibid., p. 54 (Αἶσαν· μοῖραν, τύχην· παρὰ τὸ ἄγαν ἴσην εἶναι καὶ μὴ μεταβάλλεσθαι· ἢ παρὰ τὸ δαίω, τὸ μερίζω); Etym. Magnum, Kallierges, p. 38 (Αἶσα: Ἡ εἱμαρμένη, ἡ μοῖρα. Παρὰ τὸ δαίω, τὸ μερίζω, ὁ μέλλων δαίσω, γίνεται δαῖσα, ὡς βήσω βῆσα, καὶ πείσω πεῖσα, ἡ πεισμονή· καὶ ἀποβολῇ τοῦ δ, αἶσα, ἡ ἑκάστῳ μεμερισμένη. ‘Ἐπεί νύ τοι αἶσα μίνυνθά περ’. Ἢ παρὰ τὸ ἀεὶ ἴση εἶναι, ἡ μὴ μεταβαλλομένη. Πᾶσι γὰρ ἴσως ἔπεισιν); Eustathius, Comm. Il. 4, 381 Van der Valk (Αἶσα δὲ ὁ τοῦ παντὸς λόγος κατὰ τοὺς παλαιούς, παρὰ τὸ δαίω, τὸ μερίζω); Eustathius, Comm. Od. 2, 81 Stallbaum (Ὅτι δὲ προϋπάρχει ὥς περ τῆς κοινότερον λεγομένης μοίρας, ἀφ’ ἧς τὸ μοιρᾶσθαι, οὕτω καὶ τῆς κατὰ τὴν πεπρωμένην ῥῆμα τὸ μείρω, οὐκ ἔστιν ἀμφιβαλεῖν. ὁμοίως δὲ καὶ τῆς ὁμωνύμου αἴσης προϋπόκειται τὸ δαίω, ἔτι δὲ καὶ τοῦ αἰσίμου. […] ἤγουν κατ’ αἶσαν, ἧς θέμα τὸ δαίω ἤτοι μερίζω); Ps.-Zonaras, Lexicon, alpha, p. 82 (Αἶσα. ἡ μοῖρα. τὴν σὴν ἤθελον αἶσαν ἔχειν. [παρὰ τὸ δαίω, τὸ μερίζω, ὁ μέλλων δήσω. ὡς βήσω βήσα, καὶ πείσω πεῖσα, ἡ πεισμονή· καὶ ἀποβολῇ τοῦ δ αἶσα, ἡ ἑκάστῳ μεμερισμένη. ἢ παρὰ τὸ ἀεὶ ἴσημι. ἡ μεταβαλλομένη· πᾶσι γὰρ ὁμοίως ἔπεισιν])

Modern etymology

Within Greek, αἶσα belongs with αἴνυμαι "to take", αἰτία "cause", ἔξαιτος "chosen", αἰτέω "to ask", but the relationship is no longer perceived by speakers. PIE *h2ei- "to take" (Beekes, EDG)

Persistence in Modern Greek

Adjective "αίσιος", 'propitious, favorable' and nouns such as "αισιοδοξία", 'positivism' are used in Modern Greek.

Entry By

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