πάλλω

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Thu, 08/05/2021 - 14:03

Word-form

παῖς

Transliteration (Word)

pais

English translation (word)

child

Transliteration (Etymon)

pallō

English translation (etymon)

to sway, to brandish

Author

Choeroboscus

Century

9 AD

Source

Idem

Ref.

Epimerismi in Psalmos p. 95

Ed.

T. Gaisford, Georgii Choerobosci epimerismi in Psalmos, vol. 3, Oxford, 1842

Quotation

παιδεύθητε. […] Παρὰ τὸ παῖς παιδὸς, τοῦτο παρὰ τὸ πάλλω, τὸ κινῶ, (εὐκίνητος γάρ ἐστιν ἡ ἡλικία,) ἢ παρὰ τὸ βαιὸν, τὸ μικρὸν, βαῒς καὶ πάϊς, καὶ ἐν συναιρέσει παῖς

Translation (En)

paideuthēte "be educated" (imperative) […] From pais, plaidos "child". The latter from pallō "to sway", "to move", because this age is mobile (eukinētos), or from baion "little", *baïs and païs, and with contraction pais.

Comment

Paronymic etymology relying on the fact that children run, throw objects and move while playing.

Parallels

Etym. Magnum, Kallierges, p. 657 (Παῖς: Παρὰ τὸ παίζω· ὁ μέλλων, παίσω· ἀποβολῇ τοῦ ω, παῖς· ἢ παρὰ τὸ πάλλεσθαι· εὐκίνητος γὰρ ἡ ἡλικία. Ἢ παρὰ τὸ βαιὸν γίνεται βάϊς καὶ πάϊς· ἐκ δὲ τοῦ πάϊς γίνεται κατὰ συναίρεσιν παῖς); Ps.-Zonaras, Lexicon, pi, p. 1496 (Παῖς. παρὰ τὸ παίζω, παίσω, ἀποβολῇ τοῦ ω παῖς. φίλον γὰρ τοῖς παισὶ τὸ παίζειν. ἢ παρὰ τὸ πάλλεσθαι. εὐκίνητος γὰρ ἡ ἡλικία. ὁ δὲ Ἡρωδιανός· παρὰ τὸ βαίειν γίνεται βαῖς καὶ παῖς κατὰ τροπὴν τοῦ β εἰς π); ibid., pi, p. 1495 (Παῖς. ἀπὸ ἐτῶν εʹ ἕως ἐτῶν ιδʹ. παρὰ τὸ παίζω)

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