ὅμοιος

Validation

Yes

Last modification

Sun, 09/05/2021 - 10:10

Word-form

παροιμία

Transliteration (Word)

paroimia

English translation (word)

proverb

Transliteration (Etymon)

omoios

English translation (etymon)

alike

Author

Diogenianus

Century

2 AD

Source

Id.

Ref.

On Proverbs, pref. 1.7-8

Ed.

Corpus Paroemiographorum Graecorum, E.L. Leutsch & F.G. Schneidewin 1839-1851)

Translation (En)

Some people say "fixed expressions" (paroimiai) received that name, due to the fact that they precisely express something "similar" (homoion) to the situations for which they are used

Comment

Associated in the same text to another etymon (οἶμος). This etymology implies a ioticizing pronunciation [parimia], [omios] which made the two words close enough by Greek standards

Parallels

Apostolius, Proverbs pref. 4 (παροιμία ἐστὶ διήγημα παροδικὸν, ἢ ῥῆμα τετριμμένον ἐν τῇ χρήσει τῶν γε πολλῶν, ἀπό τε μικρῶν τινῶν καὶ ὀλίγων ἐφ' ὅμοια πλείω καὶ μείζω μεταληφθῆναι δυνάμενον, Paroimia “proverb” is a tale told by the way, or an very common expression used by people, that can be transferred from trivial and minor matters to homoia “similar” ones that are major and important)

Bibliography

A.Zucker, “Clearchus and ancient paroemiology”, Clearchus of Soli: Text, Translation, and Discussion, R. Mayhew & D. Mirhady (eds) = Rutgers University studies in classical humanities 21, London : Routledge, 2022, 479-515

Modern etymology

The word is a compound from οἴμη "song", which ultimately, as οἶμος "path", is a derivative from *h1ei- "to go" found in εἶμι etc. (Beekes, EDG).

Persistence in Modern Greek

Yes

Entry By

 Zucker