ἄμφω

Forms

ἄμφω (ámphō) ^[1] A dual: genitive and dative ἀμφοῖν, Aeolic ἄμφοιν; it is sometimes indeclinable, and often stands with a plural noun or verb.^[2][3][4] Linear B: Mycenaean Greek a-po, in the phrase Mycenaean Greek u-me-ta-qe-a-po.^[4]

Etymology

It is inherited from Proto-Indo-European *h₂n̥tbʰóh₁ (“both”),^[1] which Beekes writes *h₂(e)nt-bʰoh₁.^[5] It is identical with Latin ambō, and the same nasal initial appears in Tocharian A āmpi (Tocharian B antapi).^[5][6][1] Other languages have forms without the nasal, such as Sanskrit उभौ (ubháu), Old Church Slavonic оба (oba) and Lithuanian abù, and Germanic has no initial vowel, as in Gothic 𐌱𐌰𐌹 (bai).^[5][6][1]

No explanation accounts for all these forms, but the connection with ἀμφί (amphí, “around, on both sides”) seems clear.^[5][3] Wiktionary suggests that the first part may be an old deictic pronoun or particle, or may come from the root *h₂énts.^[1]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is already in the Mycenaean tablets, as Mycenaean Greek a-po.^[4] In Homer it means “both”, of two individuals and of two armies, and Homer uses only the nominative and accusative.^[2][3]

Semantic evolution

Classical Greek used the full dual, with the genitive-dative ἀμφοῖν in Sophocles and others; ἐξ ἀμφοῖν in Sophocles means “from each other”.^[2][3] Later writers sometimes left it undeclined, as the Homeric Hymn to Demeter, Aristotle, Theocritus and Apollonius Rhodius do.^[2][4] Later it was replaced by ἀμφότερος (amphóteros).^[5][6] Medieval vernacular texts still use άμφω (ámfo) as a pronoun, “all together”, and as an adverb, “from both sides, in two ways”.^[7]

Timeline

• Mycenaean period – The tablets have Mycenaean Greek a-po.^[4]
• Homer – The Iliad uses it of two men and of two armies.^[2][3]
• Before the 6th century BC – Hesiod uses it.^[4][3]
• 5th century BC – Sophocles uses the dual genitive-dative ἀμφοῖν and the phrase ἐξ ἀμφοῖν “from each other”.^[2][3]
• 4th century BC – Aristotle uses it as an indeclinable word.^[2][4]
• 1100–1669 – Vernacular texts use άμφω (ámfo) as a pronoun and as an adverb.^[7]

Meanings

Pronoun

1. Both, of two persons or things, alone or with a noun.^[2][3][4]
2. Both sides, both groups, of two armies or peoples.^[2][3]
3. (with ἐξ) Of each other, mutually.^[2][3]

Related words

• ἀμφί (amphí)
• ἀμφότερος (amphóteros)
• Latin ambō

References

1. ^ a b c d e f g h Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Liddell, Henry George; Scott, Robert; Jones, Henry Stuart (1940), A Greek-English Lexicon, 9th ed., Oxford: Clarendon Press
3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Diggle, James, et al., eds. (2021), The Cambridge Greek Lexicon, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press
4. ^ a b c d e f g h Rodríguez Adrados, Francisco, et al., eds. (1980–), Diccionario Griego-Español, Madrid: CSIC, http://dge.cchs.csic.es/xdge
5. ^ a b c d e 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
6. ^ a b c Frisk, Hjalmar (1960–1972), Griechisches etymologisches Wörterbuch, 3 vols, Heidelberg: Carl Winter
7. ^ a b Kriaras, Emmanuel, Επιτομή του Λεξικού της μεσαιωνικής ελληνικής δημώδους γραμματείας 1100–1669, Κέντρο Ελληνικής Γλώσσας, https://www.greek-language.gr