μάρπτω

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Thu, 08/05/2021 - 14:03

Word-form

μάρτυς

Transliteration (Word)

martus

English translation (word)

witness

Transliteration (Etymon)

marptō

English translation (etymon)

to seize

Author

Orion

Century

5 AD

Source

Idem

Ref.

Etymologicum (, mu, p. 97

Ed.

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

Quotation

Μάρτυς. παρὰ τὸ μάρπτω, τὸ καταλαμβάνω, μάρπτυς, ἀποβολῇ τοῦ π. ὁ ἐκ τοῦ κατειληφέναι δυνάμενός τι περὶ αὐτοῦ εἰπεῖν. ὁ δὲ Φιλόξενος φησὶ παρὰ τὸ μαίρω. ὁ λάμπων, ὁ λαμπρύνων, καὶ εἰς φῶς ἄγων τὸ προκείμενον, δι’ ὧν μαρτυρεῖ. μαίρω, μάρτος, μάρτυς, τροπῇ τοῦ ο εἰς υ.

Translation (En)

Martus "witness": from marptō "to seize", "to understand", *marptus, by dropping of the [p], the one who can talk about something because he has understood. But Phiiloxenus says it comes from *mairō "to shine", the one who makes shine and who brings to light the topic because of his testimony: *mairō, *martos, martus by change of the [o] into [u]

Comment

Derivational etymology relying on a metaphoric meaning of μάρπτω "to seize" intellectually, by analogy with καταλαμβάνω "to seize" and "to understand". Μάρπτω, a poetic verb, never has this meaning in Greek. Only one formal manipulation is required, the dropping of the [p]. The witness is the one who knows because he has understood, which is not very adapted.

Parallels

Epimerismi homerici ordine alphabetico traditi, mu 22 (μάρτυροι (Β 302): δύο γενικὰς ἐπιδέχεται, ὡς τὸ ψίθυρ ψίθυρος καὶ ψίθυρος ψιθύρου· οὕτως μάρτυς μάρτυος καὶ πλεονασμῷ μάρτυρος, ⸤καὶ⸥ κλίνεται μάρτυρος μαρτύρου. τὸ δὲ μάρτυς γίνεται παρὰ τὸ μάρπτω, τὸ καταλαμβάνω, μάρπτυς καὶ μάρτυς ἀποβολῇ τοῦ π· ὁ ἐκ τοῦ κατειληφέναι δυνάμενος περὶ αὑτοῦ εἰπεῖν. ἢ παρὰ τὸ μαίρω, τὸ λάμπω, ὁ λαμπρύνων καὶ εἰς φῶς ἄγων τὸ ζ⸤η⸥τ⸤ούμενον⸥); Etym. Gudianum, mu, p. 380 (Μάρτυροι, δύο γενικὰς ἐπιδέχεται, ὡς τὸ ψίθυρις ψίθυρος ψιθύρου, οὕτω μάρτυς μάρτυος, καὶ πλεονασμῷ τοῦ ρ μάρτυρος· τὸ δὲ μάρτυς γίνεται παρὰ τὸ μάρπτω, τὸ καταλαμβάνω μάρπτυς καὶ μάρτυς ἀποβολῇ τοῦ π· ὁ ἐκ τοῦ κατειληφέναι δυνάμενος περὶ αὐτοῦ εἰπεῖν· ἢ παρὰ τὸ μαρμαίρω τὸ λάμπω, ὁ λαμπρύνων καὶ εἰς φῶς ἄγων τὸ ζητούμενον· κλίνεται δὲ μάρτυς μάρτυος, καὶ κατὰ πλεονασμὸν τοῦ ρ μάρτυρος· καὶ μάρτυρος μαρτύρου); Etym. Magnum, Kallierges, p. 139 (Μάρτυς: Παρὰ τὸ μάρπτω, τὸ καταλαμβάνω, μάρπτυς καὶ μάρτυς, ὁ ἐκ τοῦ κατειληφέναι δυνάμενός τι περὶ ἑαυτοῦ εἰπεῖν· ἢ παρὰ τὸ μαίρω, τὸ λάμπω, μάρτος καὶ μάρτυς τροπῇ τοῦ ο εἰς υ, ὁ λαμπρύνων καὶ εἰς φῶς ἄγων τὸ ζητούμενον δι’ ὧν μαρτυρεῖ. Δύο δὲ γενικὰς ἐπιδέχεται· ὡς τὸ ψίθυρ ψίθυρος καὶ ψίθυρος ψιθύρου, οὕτως μάρτυς μάρτυρος καὶ μάρτυρος μαρτύρου)

Modern etymology

Probably with Frisk a derivative of *(s)mer- "to have in mind" found in Ved. smárati "to remember". However, Frisk's assumed derivation is high unlikely

Persistence in Modern Greek

MG has μάρτυρας as a learned word meaning "witness" and "martyr"

Entry By

Le Feuvre