βαλλίζω

Forms

βαλλίζω (ballízō) ^[1]

Etymology

It is a derivation from Ancient Greek βάλλω (bállō, “to throw”), with the verbal suffix -ίζω (-ízō).^[2][3][1] How “throw” came to mean “dance” is not quite clear.^[3][2] The DGE notes another proposal, which connects it with a Phrygian word *βάλλος (*bállos), the same as φαλλός (phallós).^[4] Frisk rejects the old comparison with a Sanskrit word for “whirl”.^[3]

Latin ballō (“to dance”) is related, but Beekes and Frisk think it cannot have been borrowed directly from βαλλίζω, because the forms differ.^[2][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

It first appears in the Sicilian comic writers Epicharmus and Sophron, where it still means “to throw”: Sophron has people filling a bedroom with the dung they throw.^[4][2]

Semantic evolution

Athenaeus records it as a word of Sicily and southern Italy for dancing and revelling.^[5][2] Two epitaphs of the 2nd century AD use it in this sense: one says that no one in the tomb is seen dancing, and another bids the passer-by revel and dance.^[4] Its derivatives are βαλλισμός (ballismós), a dance, and βαλλιστής (ballistḗs), the source of Latin ballista, a catapult.^[2][3]

Timeline

• 5th century BC – Sophron and Epicharmus use it of throwing.^[4][2]
• 2nd century AD – Epitaphs use it of dancing.^[4]
• 2nd–3rd century AD – Athenaeus records it as a Sicilian and Italian word for dancing.^[5][2]

Meanings

Verb

1. (Sicily) To throw.^[4][2]
2. (Sicily, southern Italy) To dance, jump about, revel.^[5][4]

Word family

• βαλλισμός (ballismós)
• βαλλιστής (ballistḗs)

Related words

• βάλλω (bállō)
• Latin ballō
• Latin ballista

References

1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i Beekes, Robert S. P. (2010), Etymological Dictionary of Greek, with the assistance of Lucien van Beek, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 10, Leiden; Boston: Brill
3. ^ a b c d e Frisk, Hjalmar (1960–1972), Griechisches etymologisches Wörterbuch, 3 vols, Heidelberg: Carl Winter
4. ^ a b c d e f g Rodríguez Adrados, Francisco, et al., eds. (1980–), Diccionario Griego-Español, Madrid: CSIC, http://dge.cchs.csic.es/xdge
5. ^ a b c Liddell, Henry George; Scott, Robert; Jones, Henry Stuart (1940), A Greek-English Lexicon, 9th ed., Oxford: Clarendon Press