A Hellenic language principally spoken in Greece.
2
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1answer
112 views
How many of Latin words have Greek roots?
I was wondering how many of Latin (both Classical and Medieval varieties) words
have Greek roots. Is Greek the common root of most IE languages?
3
votes
1answer
88 views
Is the second “ρ” in “διάρροια” from “διά” + “ῥέω” due to an assimilation?
Or which phenomenon is causing this? Is there a known reason or rule behind this?
3
votes
0answers
85 views
Was there a Greek or Latin name spelled “Jesus” or similarly before the advent of Christianity?
Many of the originally Barbarian names in history were Christianized. Many Christian saints with Slavic/Germanic names were given similar-sounding Greek and Latin names. In this way "Kuzma" ...
5
votes
1answer
191 views
Why did English borrow more from Latin and Greek than, e.g., German did, in scientific and philosophical subjects?
Is there any known reason why the scholars of the time didn't think it easier to use calques, as for instance the Germans did for the names of some of the basic chemical elements?
3
votes
0answers
61 views
Correct Alexamenos Graffito Translation
I am researching the "Alexamenos Graffito" from Rome and the various opinions of what the correct translation of the Greek inscription should be.
I know some believe it is "Alexamenos worships (his) ...
11
votes
1answer
144 views
Did Ancient Greek have a rising intonation for questions?
Unlike English, Ancient (e.g. Attic) Greek does not reorder words to formulate a question. The particle "ἆρα" does modify a statement into a question, but is not always present. In that case, I ...
7
votes
0answers
210 views
Did Georgian ever have a native word for “dolphin”?
During my time in Georgia one word came to puzzle me and I'm still thinking about it:
დელფინი (delp'ini) "dolphin"
Wiktionary says this comes from Greek via Russian.
The thing is Georgia is on ...
5
votes
2answers
163 views
How does the initial consonant in “Jupiter” and “Zeus” come from the “d” in PIE “*dyew-”?
Jupiter, is from Proto-Indo-European *dyew- (“sky”) (whence also Latin diēs).
Cognate with Ancient Greek Ζεύς (Zeus), Hittite 𒅆𒍑 (sius), Sanskrit द्यु (dyú). The nominative Iuppiter comes ...
3
votes
3answers
642 views
Why is “Aurora Borealis” from Greek, but “Aurora Austrialis” from Latin?
In astronomy we have the Aurora Australis in the south and the Aurora Borealis in the north. According to Wikipedia, auster is in fact the Latin equivalent of the Greek νότος, or southern wind. ...
13
votes
3answers
1k views
What are the historical origin of terms for north, south, east and west?
In the course of researching the etymology of the word "Australia", I was trying to find the Latin words for north and south (the cardinal directions). I found some websites that translate north as ...
