λάσθη
Word
Validation
Word-form
Word-lemma
Etymon-lemma
Transliteration (Word)
English translation (word)
Transliteration (Etymon)
English translation (etymon)
Century
Source
Ref.
Ed.
Quotation
Λοῖσθος καὶ λοίσθιον· οἱ μὲν παρὰ τὸ ὄλισθος καθ’ ὑπερβιβασμὸν τοῦ Λ λοῖσθος καὶ λοίσθιος· ὅτε γλώσσῃ πλεῖστος ὄλισθος ἔνι, ὁ ἔσχατος οἷον ὁ ἐξολισθήσας καὶ ἐμποδισθείς. ἢ παρὰ τὸ λάσθη, ὃ σημαίνει τὴν λοιδορίαν λαῖσθος καὶ λοῖσθος· ὁ γὰρ ἔσχατος ὕβρισται.
Translation (En)
Loisthos ("left behind") and loisthion: For some, from olisthos "slippery" through metathesis of the [l], loisthos and loisthios. When there is much slip of the tongue. The last one is the one who has slipped and who is hindered. Or from lasthē ("mockery"), which means the railing, *laisthos and loisthos. Indeed, who comes last is insulted.
Parallels
Etym. Magnum Kallierges, p. 568 (Λοῖσθος: Ὁ ἔσχατος. Παρὰ τὸ ὄλισθος, καθ’ ὑπέρθεσιν τοῦ λ, λοῖσθος καὶ λοίσθιος, οἷον ὁ ἐξολισθήσας καὶ ἐμποδισθείς. Ἢ παρὰ τὸ λείπω, λόστος καὶ λοῖσθος. Ἢ παρὰ τὸ λάσθη, ὃ σημαίνει τὴν λοιδορίαν, λαῖσθος καὶ λοῖσθος· ὁ γὰρ ἔσχατος ὕβρισται).
Bibliography
B. Forssman, "λοῖσθος: der "Letzte" bei Wettrennen", Glotta 96, p. 75-81, argues for the relationship between λοῖσθος and ὀλισθάνω, assuming the Saussure effect (loss of the initial laryngeal in an o-grade form, *h3lisdh- / (h3)loisdh-), assuming the last one is the one who fell because he slipped. The formal aspect is faultless, the semantic aspect is much more disputable.
Comment
Derivational etymology implying two formal manipulations, a change od the vowel and the insertion of an [I]. It relies on the metaphoric, moral meaning of "last": not physically at the extremity, but morally depreciated.