φράζω

Forms

φρᾰ́ζω (phrázō) ^[1] Aeolic φράσδω (phrásdō) (Theocritus), Cretan φράδδω (phráddō) in inscriptions.^[2][3]

Etymology

The origin is uncertain.^[1][2] The only stem that can be reached is φραδ- (phrad-), which has a zero-grade vowel in the reduplicated aorist πέφραδον (péphradon).^[2][1] If its /d/ is an extension and its /a/ continues a syllabic /n/, the stem could be the zero grade of the stem of φρήν (phrḗn, “midriff, mind”), whose old dative plural is φρασί (phrasí).^[2][1] Chantraine calls this only a possibility, though one that fits the meaning.^[2][1]

The ancient etymologist Philoxenus derived it from προΐημι (proḯēmi, “to send forth”).^[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is found from Homer on.^[5][3] In Homer the active means to point out or show, for example the place that someone has indicated, and according to the ancient critic Aristarchus it never means “say” there; the middle means to consider, notice or beware.^[5][3]

Semantic evolution

From “show” the active came to mean “make known, tell, declare” in Pindar, Aeschylus and Herodotus, who also uses it of someone making signs with the hand instead of speaking.^[5][3] In Attic it often means to explain or put clearly, as against simply saying: Sophocles has a character asked to explain what he said, and Isocrates contrasts merely saying something with stating it clearly.^[5] It is used of teachers, oracles and letters, and in Plato of giving instructions.^[5][3] The middle forms are epic and poetic, and are not found in Attic prose.^[2]

In the New Testament it means to explain something obscure, a parable.^[6] Its derivatives include φράσις (phrásis, “speech, expression”) and μεταφράζω (metaphrázō, “to paraphrase”).^[2][1]

Modern Greek φράζω (frázo) “to block” is a different verb: it was remodelled in medieval Greek from φράσσω (phrássō, “to fence in”) on its aorist stem, and Babiniotis sees no etymological link with the ancient verb of speaking.^[7][8]

Timeline

• Homer – The Odyssey uses it for pointing out a place, and the middle for considering and noticing.^[5][3]
• Before the 6th century BC – Hesiod uses the middle for keeping watch.^[3]
• 6th–5th century BC – Aeschylus uses it for telling, and for signalling with the hand instead of speaking.^[5][3]
• 5th century BC – Sophocles sets it against the plain verb of saying: “explain what you said”.^[5]
• 5th–4th century BC – Isocrates uses it for stating a matter clearly.^[5]
• 1st century AD – The New Testament uses it for explaining a parable.^[6]
• Medieval Greek – A different verb φράζω (frázo) “to block” is formed from the aorist stem of φράσσω (phrássō).^[8][7]

Meanings

Verb

1. To point out, show, indicate by gesture.^[5][3]
2. To show the way to, show where to find a place or a person.^[5][3]
3. To tell, declare, announce something to someone.^[5][3]
4. To explain, describe, put clearly; of teachers and oracles, to teach or instruct.^[5][3][6]
5. To advise or order someone to do something.^[3]
6. (middle) To notice, perceive, observe.^[5][3]
7. (middle) To consider, think over, deliberate; to devise.^[5][3]
8. (middle) To take care, beware of.^[5][3]

Word family

• ἀφραδής (aphradḗs)
• ἀφραδίη (aphradíē)
• διαφράζω (diaphrázō)
• μεταφράζω (metaphrázō)
• φράσις (phrásis)
• φραστήρ (phrastḗr)
• φράστωρ (phrástōr)
• συμφράζω (sumphrázō)
• φραστικός (phrastikós)

Related words

• φραδή (phradḗ)
• φραδής (phradḗs)

References

1. ^ a b c d e f g h i Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g Chantraine, Pierre (2009), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue grecque: histoire des mots, new ed. with a supplement (Chroniques d'étymologie grecque 1–10), Paris: Klincksieck
3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p Diggle, James, et al., eds. (2021), The Cambridge Greek Lexicon, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press
4. ^ Etygram: ancient etymologies of Greek words, CEPAM, Université Côte d'Azur, http://appsweb-cepam.unice.fr/etygram
5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p Liddell, Henry George; Scott, Robert; Jones, Henry Stuart (1940), A Greek-English Lexicon, 9th ed., Oxford: Clarendon Press
6. ^ a b c Bauer, Walter; Danker, Frederick W., et al. (2000), A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature, 3rd ed., Chicago: University of Chicago Press
7. ^ a b Babiniotis, Georgios (2010), Ετυμολογικό λεξικό της νέας ελληνικής γλώσσας [Etymological Dictionary of Modern Greek], Athens: Κέντρο Λεξικολογίας
8. ^ a b Ινστιτούτο Νεοελληνικών Σπουδών (Ίδρυμα Μανόλη Τριανταφυλλίδη) (1998), Λεξικό της κοινής νεοελληνικής, Thessaloniki: Aristotle University of Thessaloniki