παίω

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Last modification

Thu, 08/05/2021 - 14:03

Word-form

παῖς

Transliteration (Word)

pais

English translation (word)

child

Transliteration (Etymon)

paiō

English translation (etymon)

to beat

Author

Orion

Century

5 AD

Source

Idem

Ref.

Etymologicum, pi, p. 133

Ed.

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

Quotation

Παῖς. οἱ μὲν παρὰ τὸ παίω, παίσω, κατ’ ἀποβολὴν τοῦ ω· ἢ παρὰ τὸ παίζω, παίσω, παῖς

Translation (En)

Pais "child": some derive it from paiō "to beat", <future> paisō, by dropping of the [ō]; or from paizō "to play", paisō, pais

Comment

Derivational etymology starting from a future form of the verb "to beat". It may refer to the fact that physical punishments were usual in Greek education, or have been designed for the meaning "slave" of παῖς (see the scullion to Aristophanes, Parallels): as a matter of fact, the etymology by παίζω "to play" was possible for the meaning "child" but not for the meaning "slave" (complementary etymology). As both παίζω and παίω have the same future, one etymology could be derived from the other.

Parallels

Epimerismi homerici Il. 1.20a2 (παῖδα: παρὰ τὸ παίειν, τουτέστι τύπτειν· τοῖς γὰρ παισὶν ἁρμόζει δαρμός. ἢ παρὰ τὸ παίζειν· παρεπόμενον γάρ ἐστι τοῖς παισὶ τὸ παίγνιον); ibid., 20a1 (παῖδα: παῖς παρὰ τὸ παίειν, τουτέστι τύπτειν, ἢ παρὰ τὸ παίζειν· | ἀμφότερα γὰρ παισὶν ἁρμόζει. | ἢ παρὰ τὸ βαιόν, ὃ σημαίνει τὸ μικρόν, βαῖς καὶ παῖς); Etym. Gudianum, pi, p. 447 (Παῖδα, παρὰ τὸ πάϊς παῖς παιδὸς, παιδίζω καὶ παίζω· τὸ παι διφθόγγῳ διάτι; ἐκ τοῦ παίζω, ἐξ οὗ καὶ παιδίον· ἢ παρὰ τὸ παίω τὸ τύπτω· τοῖς γὰρ παισὶν ἁρμόζει δαρμός· ἢ παρὰ τὸ παίζειν, παρεπόμενον γάρ ἐστι τοῖς παισί); ibid., p. 447 (Παῖς, ὁ ἐπιτήδειος εἰς τὸ παίεσθαι· καὶ παιδίσκη ἀπὸ τούτου, ἡ τὴν αὐτὴν ἡλικίαν ἔχουσα); Scholia in Aristophanem, Plut. 710 (παῖς δὲ ὁ δοῦλος ἀπὸ τοῦ παίω τὸ τύπτω)

Modern etymology

Older πάϝιδ-. Derivative of *peh2-u- "small", found in παῦροι "few". Cognate with Lat. puer "child", paulum "little", Ved. putrá- "son" (Beekes, EDG)

Persistence in Modern Greek

MG still has παις as a learned word, the usual word is παιδί

Entry By

Le Feuvre