βαίνω

Validation

Yes

Last modification

Sat, 07/10/2021 - 23:28

Word-form

βέβαιος

Transliteration (Word)

bebaios

English translation (word)

firm, steady

Transliteration (Etymon)

bainō

English translation (etymon)

to go

Author

Herodian

Century

2 AD

Reference

Peri Iliakēs prosōidias, Lentz III/2, p. 74

Edition

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

Source

A Scholion

Ref.

A Scholion Il. 11.301

Ed.

H. Erbse, Scholia græca in Homeri Iliadem (scholia vetera), Berlin, 1971-1982

Quotation

τὸ μέντοι Πείραιος προπαροξυνόμενον παρὰ ῥῆμα τὸ πειρῶ ὡς παρὰ τὸ φιλῶ Φίλαιος. οὕτως καὶ παρὰ τὸ βέβηκαβέβαιος

Translation (En)

But Peiraios is proparoxytone, from the verb peirô, as from philô "to love" Philaios, and from bebēka "I walked" bebaios "stable, firm"

Comment

Derivational etymology starting from the perfect stem of βαίνω, which provides the reduplication and the first two syllables [beba] (βέβηκα / βέβαμεν). It is correct from the modern point of view. Semantics is left aside, the explanation is purely formal.

Parallels

Herodian, De prosodia catholica, Lentz III/2, p. 129 (idem); Herodian, Peri rhēmatikōn onomatōn, Lentz III/2, p. 899 (idem); Herodian, Peri Iliakēs prosōidias, Lentz III/2, p. 48 (ὡς πολλάκις τὰ τοιαῦτα τρίτην ἀπὸ τέλους ἔχει τὴν ὀξεῖαν, εἰ ῥῆμα αὐτῶν προκατάρχοι, ὥσπερ ἔχουσι τὸ βέβαιος (παρὰ γὰρ τὸ βέβηκα)); A Schol. Il. 5.69a1 Erbse (idem); Arcadius, De prosodia catholica epitome, p. 48 (Τὰ ἀπὸ ἐπιρρημάτων προπερισπῶνται· χύδην χυδαῖος, ἄντην ἀνταῖος. τὸ μέντοι μάτην μάταιος, καὶ τὸ βέβαιος παρὰ τὸ βέβηκα); Etym. Gudianum, beta, p. 265 (Βέβαιος· ἐκ τοῦ βιβῶ βίβαιος, καὶ τροπῇ βέβαιος· ἢ παρὰ τὸ  βαίνω κατὰ ἀναδιπλασιασμὸν βέβαιος, κατὰ ἀντίφρασιν ὁ ἑδραῖος καὶ ἀμετακίνητος).

The etymology is implicit in Eustathius, Sermones 2, 20 (ὀρθοὶ πάντες ὑμεῖς ἐν θεῷ ἑδραῖοι καθεστῶτες, ἐν ἀγαθοῖς βέβαιοι, βεβηκότες ἐν ἀσφαλεῖ)

Modern etymology

Derived from the stem *βεβα-, which is the perfect stem. of βαίνω "to go". Probably because that on which one can walk is firm and stable

Persistence in Modern Greek

Yes

Entry By

Le Feuvre