σκάνδαλον Ancient Greek · revision 15588

+ {{infobox|confidence=uncertain|attested=3rd century BC, Septuagint}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA (5th-century BC Attic): /skán.da.lon/^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA (4th-century AD Koine): /ˈskan.da.lon/^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA (10th-century Byzantine): /ˈskan.da.lon/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''σκᾰ́νδᾰλον''' (skándalon) ''n'' (genitive σκᾰνδᾰ́λου); second declension^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ Beekes thinks it was originally a technical term, perhaps a piece of wood hanging on ropes, used both as the trigger of a trap and as an acrobat's bar: its derivative [[m|grc|σκανδαλιστής|tr=skandalistḗs]] meant an acrobat.^(Beekes 2010)^(Frisk 1960) It is often connected with [[la|scandō|t=to climb]] and [[sa|स्कन्दति|tr=skándati|t=jumps]], from [[m|ine-pro|*skend-|t=to jump]], as “wood for jumping”.^(Wiktionary)^(Beekes 2010) Beekes finds this arbitrary in meaning and the /a/ unexplained, and thinks it Pre-Greek or a loan from another Indo-European language.^(Beekes 2010)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Its first recorded uses are in the Septuagint (Leviticus 19:14, Joshua 23:13) and in a 3rd-century BC Zenon papyrus.^(GLAUx)^(Beekes 2010)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The Septuagint and the New Testament use it for a trap or snare and, figuratively, for an enticement to sin and a cause of offence, a Semitic usage.^(Beekes 2010)^(CGL 2021) Etymonline notes that it renders a Hebrew word for “noose, snare”.^(Beekes 2010)^(CGL 2021)^(Etymonline) The verb [[σκανδαλίζω|tr=skandalízō]] meant to tempt or to give offence.^(Beekes 2010)

+

+ Late Latin borrowed it as [[m|la|scandalum]], whence French ''scandale'' and English ''scandal'' (1580s), and, through Old French ''esclandre'', English ''slander''.^(Etymonline) Medieval Greek has ''σκάνδαλο'' and ''σκάνταλον''.^(Kriaras)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 3rd century BC – The Septuagint uses it.^(GLAUx)

+ * 3rd century BC – A Zenon papyrus has the genitive plural.^(Beekes 2010)

+ * 1st century AD – The New Testament uses it for a stumbling block.^(CGL 2021)^(Etymonline)

+ * Late 13th century – English ''slander'' comes from it through Latin and French.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1580s – English borrows ''scandal'' through French.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A [[m|en|trap]], snare.^(Beekes 2010)^(CGL 2021)

+ # ''(figurative)'' An enticement to sin, [[m|en|temptation]].^(CGL 2021)

+ # A cause of offence, a stumbling block, a [[m|en|scandal]].^(CGL 2021)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[σκανδάληθρον|tr=skandálēthron]]

+ * [[σκανδαλίζω|tr=skandalízō]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[la|scandalum]]

+ * [[en|scandal]]

+ * [[en|slander]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}