λαμβάνω

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Last modification

Thu, 08/05/2021 - 14:03

Word-form

λοβός

Transliteration (Word)

lobos

English translation (word)

lobe of the ear

Transliteration (Etymon)

lambanō

English translation (etymon)

to take, to receive

Author

Soranus of Ephesus

Century

1-2 AD

Source

Orion

Ref.

Etymologicum (, lambda, p. 92

Ed.

F. Sturz, Orionis Thebani etymologicon, Leipzig, Weigel, 1820

Quotation

Λοβός. τὸ κάτω τῶν ὤτων, ὡς λέγει Σωρανὸς, ἐπειδὴ μαρτυρόμενοι τινὶ, λαμβανόμεθα αὐτῶν. οἱ δὲ, ὅτι λωβώμενοι τινὰς, ἄποκ

Translation (En)

Lobos "lobe", the lower part of the ears. As Soranus says, because we touch them (lambanometha) when we take witness for something. But others say that it is because when we dishonour (lōbōmenoi) someone, it is cut off

Comment

Derivational etymology relying on a cultural gesture, that of touching the ears. It implies a formal manipulation, change of [a] to [o]. The same etymology is assumed to account for the liver lobe (Mauropus)

Parallels

D Schol. Il. 14.182 ([λοβοῖσιν] τοῖς ἀκροῖς τῶν ὠτίων, τοῖς ἁπαλοῖς. παρὰ τὸ λαμβάνειν καὶ δέχεσθαι); Geneva schol. Il. 14.182 (idem); bT Schol. Il. 14.182 (λοβοῖσι: τὰ τῶν ὤτων ἄκρα, παρὰ τὸ λαμβάνειν τι καὶ δέχεσθαι, λαβοί τινες ὄντες καὶ τροπῇ λοβοί); Etym. Gudianum, lambda, p. 372 (Λοβὸς, οὗ ἐστι λαβέσθαι, οἷον, ἐπὶ μὲν ἀνθρώπου τὸ ἄκρον τοῦ ὦτος κατ’ ἐξοχὴν, ὁ μὴ ὀστώδης τόπος); Eustathius, Comm. Il. 3, 610 Van der Valk (γίνεται δὲ ὁ λοβὸς παρὰ τὴν λαβήν. εὐλαβῆ γάρ εἰσιν αὐτὰ δι’ ἁπαλότητα); Etym. Magnum, Kallierges, p. 569 (Λοβοί: Λοβοὶ λέγονται τὰ κάτω μέρη τῶν ὤτων, Ἰλιάδος ξʹ· παρὰ τὸ λαμβάνειν τὶ καὶ δέχεσθαι, λαβὸς καὶ λοβός· οἷον, ‘Εὐτρήτοισι λοβοῖσι’. Τοῖς ἄκροις τῶν ὠτίων τοῖς ἁπαλοῖς τοῖς καλῶς τετρημένοις. Καὶ παρὰ τοῖς θυτικοῖς τὰ κάτω μέρη τοῦ ἥπατος οὕτω λέγεται. Καὶ ἀγγεῖον ἐρεβίνθης καὶ κυάμου. Λοβοὶ λέγονται, ἐπειδὴ μαρτυρόμενοι τινὶ λαμβανόμεθα αὐτῶν· οἱ δὲ, ὅτι λωβώμενοι τινὰς ἀποτέμνουσι ταῦτα τὰ μέρη).

For the liver lobe: Joannes Mauropus, Etymologica nominum 255-256 (λοβὸς δ’ ἀπαρτᾷ θάλπον ἧπαρ ἀρτίως, | λαβή τις οἷα κυριωτάτου μέλους)

Modern etymology

Probably cognate with Germanic words meaning "slack", Middle Low Greman slap "slack", Slavic slabъ "weak" (< *slob-) (Beekes, EDG)

Persistence in Modern Greek

Yes, as an anatomic term of the medical vocabulary

Entry By

Le Feuvre