λόγος Ancient Greek · revision 2229

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

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

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

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

+ * IPA (10th-century Byzantine): /ˈlo.ɣos/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''λόγος''' (lógos) ''m'' (genitive λόγου); second declension^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|grk-pro|*lógos]],^(Wiktionary) [[inh|ine-pro|*log-o-]], a noun with the o-grade of the root [[m|ine-pro|*leǵ-|t=to collect, gather]], and the verbal noun of [[λέγω|tr=légō]].^(Wiktionary)^(Etymonline)^(LSJ 1940)^(Πάπυρος) The verb first meant “to gather, pick up”, then “to count, recount” and finally “to say”, and λόγος followed the same path, from reckoning to speech and reason.^(Beekes 2010)^(Πάπυρος)^(LSJ 1940)

+

+ [[m|grc|λέγω|tr=légō]] corresponds exactly to Latin [[m|la|legō|t=to gather; to read]] and to Albanian [[m|sq|mbledh|t=to collect, harvest]], which shows that the root ended in a palatal *ǵ.^(Beekes 2010)^(Frisk 1960)^(LIV 2001) A root of the same meaning, *les-, appears in Gothic [[m|got|𐌻𐌹𐍃𐌰𐌽|tr=lisan|t=to gather]] and Lithuanian [[m|lt|lesti|alt=lèsti|t=to pick]], but its relation to *leǵ- is unclear.^(Beekes 2010)^(Frisk 1960)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Homer has it only twice, both times in the plural for talk: the ''Iliad'' speaks of cheering someone with words, and the ''Odyssey'' of beguiling with “soft and wily words”.^(Cunliffe 1924)^(Beekes 2010)^(Πάπυρος) Epic otherwise does not use it.^(LSJ 1940)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ In Ionic and Attic it became one of the commonest words of the language, and the CGL groups its senses under calculation, explanation and expression in words.^(CGL 2021) As reckoning it is the account of money that an official must render, a total, a proportion and, in mathematics, a ratio, and also the esteem in which someone is held.^(LSJ 1940)^(CGL 2021) As explanation it is a reason or ground, an argument, a theory, and reasoning itself, including reason as a faculty: Aristotle's “right reason” (ὀρθὸς λόγος).^(CGL 2021)^(LSJ 1940) As expression it is a word, statement or talk, often opposed to deed (λόγῳ μὲν ... ἔργῳ δέ), a story or fable such as Aesop's, a sacred legend, a speech, a saying, a discussion or dialogue, prose as opposed to poetry, and in grammar a phrase or sentence.^(CGL 2021)^(LSJ 1940)

+

+ For Heraclitus the λόγος is common to all, as against private understanding.^(LSJ 1940) Plato calls thinking the inward discussion of the soul with itself, and the Stoics distinguished the λόγος within the mind from the λόγος spoken aloud.^(LSJ 1940) In Neoplatonism the λόγοι are the formative principles at work in the world, and Plotinus speaks of a creative reason.^(LSJ 1940)

+

+ In the Septuagint, where it occurs over 1,200 times, it is the regular rendering of Hebrew ''dāḇār'', “word, matter”: the word of God, an oracle, a matter or event.^(Lust 2003) In the New Testament it is the Christian message, “the word”, and in the Gospel of John the Word, eternal with God and made flesh in Jesus.^(BDAG 2000)^(CGL 2021) BDAG traces the background of this use in Jewish wisdom literature and Philo.^(BDAG 2000)^(CGL 2021)

+

+ Medieval vernacular Greek used λόγος and its plural λόγια for words and talk.^(Kriaras) In Modern Greek [[m|el|λόγος|tr=lógos]] is speech and the faculty of speech, a word, an address, reason and a reason or cause; its plural λόγια, “words”, comes from ancient λόγιον, “oracle”, and Hellenistic τὰ λόγια, “the sayings of the Lord”.^(Triantafyllidis 1998)^(Πάπυρος) English ''logos'', for the divine Word, is recorded from the 1580s, and Napier formed ''logarithm'', “ratio-number”, from it in the 1610s.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * Homer – The ''Iliad'' and the ''Odyssey'' use the plural for talk.^(Cunliffe 1924)^(LSJ 1940)

+ * 6th–5th century BC – Heraclitus speaks of the λόγος common to all.^(LSJ 1940)^(DGE)

+ * 5th century BC – Herodotus uses it for an account of money and for a fable.^(LSJ 1940)^(CGL 2021)

+ * 5th–4th century BC – Plato mentions Aesop's fables and calls thinking the soul's discussion with itself.^(LSJ 1940)^(DGE)

+ * 4th century BC – Aristotle speaks of “right reason” and uses it for a ratio.^(LSJ 1940)^(CGL 2021)

+ * 1st century AD – The Gospel of John calls the Word eternal with God.^(BDAG 2000)^(CGL 2021)

+ * 3rd century AD – Plotinus speaks of a creative reason.^(LSJ 1940)^(DGE)

+ * 1580s – English ''logos'' is first recorded.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A computation, reckoning; an [[m|en|account]], especially of money.^(LSJ 1940)^(CGL 2021)

+ # A measure or total; a proportion, a [[m|en|ratio]].^(LSJ 1940)^(CGL 2021)

+ # Esteem, consideration, value.^(LSJ 1940)^(CGL 2021)

+ # An explanation, a reason or ground.^(CGL 2021)

+ # An argument, a theory, a proposition.^(CGL 2021)^(LSJ 1940)

+ # Reasoning, reflection; [[m|en|reason]] as a faculty.^(CGL 2021)^(LSJ 1940)

+ # A [[m|en|word]], statement or remark; talk, often as opposed to deeds.^(CGL 2021)^(LSJ 1940)

+ # A story, fable or legend.^(CGL 2021)^(LSJ 1940)

+ # A [[m|en|speech]], an oration.^(CGL 2021)

+ # A saying, a proverb.^(CGL 2021)

+ # A discussion or debate; a dialogue; the right to speak.^(CGL 2021)

+ # A subject or topic; the plot of a story.^(CGL 2021)

+ # [[m|en|prose]], as opposed to poetry.^(CGL 2021)^(LSJ 1940)

+ # ''(grammar)'' A word, phrase or sentence.^(CGL 2021)

+ # ''(philosophy)'' The rational principle of the world, and in Neoplatonism a formative principle.^(LSJ 1940)

+ # ''(New Testament)'' The message of God; the Word, the Logos, incarnate in Jesus.^(CGL 2021)^(BDAG 2000)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[ἄλογος|tr=álogos]]

+ * [[ἀνάλογον|tr=análogon]]

+ * [[ἀνάλογος|tr=análogos]]

+ * [[ἀξιόλογος|tr=axiólogos]]

+ * [[ἀστρολόγος|tr=astrológos]]

+ * [[διάλογος|tr=diálogos]]

+ * [[λογικός|tr=logikós]]

+ * [[λογίζομαι|tr=logízomai]]

+ * [[λόγιος|tr=lógios]]

+ * [[κατάλογος|tr=katálogos]]

+ * [[πρόλογος|tr=prólogos]]

+ * [[ἐπίλογος|tr=epílogos]]

+ * [[συλλογισμός|tr=sullogismós]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[λέγω|tr=légō]]

+ * [[la|legō]]

+ * [[en|philology]]

+ * [[en|etymology]]

+ * [[en|syllogism]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}