ἀλκυών Ancient Greek · revision 2268

+ {{infobox|confidence=uncertain|formation=borrowing|attested=Homer, Iliad|origins=qfa-sub-grc}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA (5th-century BC Attic): /al.ky.ɔ̌ːn/^(Wiktionary)

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

+ * IPA (10th-century Byzantine): /al.cyˈon/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''ᾰ̓λκῠών''' (alkuṓn) ''f'' (genitive ᾰ̓λκῠόνος); third declension^(Wiktionary)

+ Also [[ἁλκυών|tr=halkuṓn]], with rough breathing after a folk etymology, and Cretan [[αὐκυών|tr=aukuṓn]] (Hesychius).^(Beekes 2010)^(DGE)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ The origin is unknown.^(Frisk 1960)^(Beekes 2010) Beekes thinks it probably a loan from a non-Indo-European language, [[der|qfa-sub-grc|-]], citing Furnée on substrate words in -ων, and the DGE suggests a Mediterranean loan.^(Beekes 2010)^(DGE)^(Wiktionary) For the suffix Beekes compares [[ἀλεκτρυών|tr=alektruṓn]].^(Beekes 2010)

+

+ The spelling ἁλκυών arose from a folk etymology linking it with [[ἅλς|tr=háls|t=sea, salt]] and [[κυέω|tr=kuéō|t=to conceive]], as if the bird bred at sea.^(LSJ 1940)^(Wiktionary)^(Etymonline) Choeroboscus explains the name this way.^(LSJ 1940)^(Wiktionary)^(Etygram)^(Etymonline) The form [[ἁλκυδών|tr=halkudṓn]], made after other bird names in -δων, gave [[la|alcēdō]].^(Beekes 2010)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ It first appears in the ''Iliad''.^(Cunliffe 1924) LSJ describes it as a mythical bird identified with the kingfisher.^(Cunliffe 1924)^(LSJ 1940)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Lyric poets (Alcman, Sappho, Ibycus, Simonides), Aristophanes, Aristotle and Theocritus mention it, and the DGE identifies it with the common kingfisher or the white-throated kingfisher, ''Halcyon smyrnensis''.^(DGE)^(LSJ 1940) The [[ἀλκυονίδες|tr=alkuonídes]] ἡμέραι, the period of the winter solstice when the kingfisher nests, are named in Aristophanes, and Aristotle calls them ἀλκυόνειοι.^(Beekes 2010) In Laconia Halcyon was the name of a divinity (Hesychius, Photius), and one of Lucian's works bears the title ''Halcyon''.^(DGE)^(Hesychius)

+

+ It was borrowed as [[la|halcyōn]] and [[m|la|alcēdō]], and into Classical Syriac, Old Armenian, Old Georgian and Old East Slavic.^(Wiktionary) [[en|halcyon]] comes through Latin, and its “halcyon days” translate the Greek phrase.^(Etymonline) The Modern Greek word for the same bird is [[el|αλκυόνα|tr=alkyóna]].^(Etygram)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * Homer – the ''Iliad'' names the bird.^(Cunliffe 1924)^(LSJ 1940)^(DGE)

+ * 7th century BC – Alcman mentions it.^(LSJ 1940)^(DGE)

+ * 5th–4th century BC – Aristophanes names the “halcyon days”.^(Beekes 2010)^(DGE)

+ * 4th century BC – Aristotle describes the bird and calls the days ἀλκυόνειοι.^(Beekes 2010)^(LSJ 1940)^(DGE)

+ * 2nd century AD – Lucian's ''Halcyon''.^(DGE)

+ * 1540s – English ''halcyon days''.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A mythical sea bird identified with the [[m|en|kingfisher]], the [[m|en|halcyon]].^(LSJ 1940)^(DGE)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(Laconian)'' A divinity.^(DGE)^(Hesychius)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[ἀλκυονίς|tr=alkuonís]]

+ * [[ἀλκυονίδες|tr=alkuonídes]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[la|alcēdō]]

+ * [[en|halcyon]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}