τέχνη Ancient Greek · revision 15425

+ {{infobox|confidence=probable|formation=inherited|attested=Homer, Iliad|origins=ine-pro *tetḱ-}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA (5th-century BC Attic): /té.kʰnɛː/^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA (4th-century AD Koine): /ˈte.xni/^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA (10th-century Byzantine): /ˈte.xni/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''τέχνη''' (tékhnē) ''f'' (genitive τέχνης); first declension^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|ine-pro|*téḱ-sneh₂]], from [[m|ine-pro|*tetḱ-|t=to create, produce]].^(Wiktionary) Frisk explains it as a formation like [[m|grc|πάχνη|tr=pákhnē]] and [[m|grc|λάχνη|tr=lákhnē]], from a pre-form [[m|grk-pro|*téksnā]].^(Frisk 1960) How it relates to [[m|grc|τέκτων|tr=téktōn|t=carpenter, builder]] is not quite clear: probably both come independently from the same verb, the one seen in [[sa|तक्षति|tr=takṣati|t=fashions]], which would give a base [[m|grk-pro|*tékt-snā]].^(Frisk 1960) The Πάπυρος dictionary notes that the consonant cluster this requires is unique in Greek.^(Πάπυρος)

+

+ Cognate with [[la|texō|t=to weave]], [[m|la|tēla|t=web]] and [[m|la|tignum|t=beam]].^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Homer uses it for a craftsman's skill, such as that of a man who cuts ship timber with an axe (''Iliad'' 3.61), and for cunning and wiles (''Odyssey'' 4.455).^(Cunliffe 1924) In the ''Odyssey'' it also names something cleverly contrived, such as the devices of Hephaestus.^(Cunliffe 1924)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ From the 5th century BC it is any art, craft or profession, manual, artistic or intellectual: Herodotus, Aristophanes and the orators use it of trades.^(CGL 2021) Thucydides, Plato and Aristotle use it for expert knowledge, and Plato sets art against nature and chance.^(CGL 2021) For Aristotle a τέχνη was also a systematic treatise, as of rhetoric.^(CGL 2021) The bad sense, craft or trickery, continued from Homer on, and fixed phrases used it for “means”: Herodotus and a treaty in Thucydides have “by no means”.^(CGL 2021)

+

+ Latin borrowed it as [[m|la|techna]], “a trick”.^(Saalfeld 1874)^(Wiktionary) In the New Testament it is a trade: Paul was a tentmaker by trade.^(BDAG 2000)

+

+ In Modern Greek ''τέχνη'' still means a craft and a skill; its sense “art” in the aesthetic sense (the fine arts) is a learned semantic loan from French ''art''.^(Triantafyllidis 1998) English ''techno-'' was formed from it in the mid-19th century.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * Homer – The ''Iliad'' and the ''Odyssey'' use it for skill and for cunning.^(Cunliffe 1924)

+ * 5th century BC – Herodotus uses it for a trade and in the phrase “by no means”.^(CGL 2021)^(DGE)

+ * 5th–4th century BC – Plato sets art against nature and chance.^(CGL 2021)^(DGE)

+ * 4th century BC – Aristotle uses it for a systematic treatise.^(CGL 2021)^(DGE)

+ * 1st century AD – The New Testament uses it for a trade.^(BDAG 2000)

+ * Mid-19th century – English forms ''techno-'' from it.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # [[m|en|skill|alt=Skill]], [[m|en|craftsmanship]], art.^(LSJ 1940)^(CGL 2021)

+ # A [[m|en|craft]], trade or profession.^(CGL 2021)

+ # Expert knowledge; a method or system, a treatise.^(CGL 2021)

+ # Art, design, as opposed to nature or chance.^(CGL 2021)

+ # A product of craftsmanship, a piece of handiwork.^(CGL 2021)^(Cunliffe 1924)

+ # [[m|en|cunning|alt=Cunning]], [[m|en|artifice]], a trick.^(CGL 2021)^(Cunliffe 1924)

+ # Manner, means: “by no means”, “by every means”.^(CGL 2021)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[τεχνάζω|tr=tekhnázō]]

+ * [[τεχνάομαι|tr=tekhnáomai]]

+ * [[τεχνικός|tr=tekhnikós]]

+ * [[ἀτεχνέω|tr=atekhnéō]]

+ * [[τεχνίτης|tr=tékhnī́tēs]]

+ * [[τεχνογράφος|tr=tekhnográphos]]

+ * [[τεχνολογία|tr=tekhnologíā]]

+ * [[τεχνολόγος|tr=tekhnológos]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[la|techna]]

+ * [[en|techno-]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}