Eskotomenos

From Simon Online
Revision as of 10:36, 9 July 2014 by WikiSysop (Talk | contribs)

Jump to: navigation, search

Eskotomenos grece tenebrosus.


Apparatus:

tenebrosus (-sus f) AC ef | -bosus B


Translation:

Eskotomenos is Greek for Latin tenebrosus {"dark”}.


Commentary:

Greek σκοτομήνιος /skotomḗnios/ really means "dark and moonless”, often relating to nights. It is a compound adjective, consisting of σκοτο- /skoto-/ {compound form of σκότοϛ /skótos/ "darkness”} + μήνη /mḗnē/ {"moon”}, resulting in "dark and moonless”. Latin tenebrosus is derived from tenebrae "darkness; dark, gloomy place”

Simon's form is interesting because it has been given the prosthetic vowel /e/ typical of Vulgar Latin and the Romance languages, cf. Latin sc(h)ola > Old French escole, Catalan/Galego/Portuguese: escola, Spanish: escuela. This sound change affected word-initial /sp-/, /st-/ and /sk-/. Cf. V. Väänänen, Introduction au Latin Vulgaire, 3rd edn. Paris 1981, pp.47,48; §§ 82,83.

Also Greek η {/ē/} is not pronounced in the way of the Greek of the time, i.e. */skotomínios/, but is transcribed by Simon with the letter "e”, showing the pronunciation of this sound by Latin speakers.

Wilf Gunther 01/02/14


Next entry