φήμη Ancient Greek · revision 2271

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=Homer, Odyssey|origins=ine-pro *bʰeh₂-}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

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

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

+ * IPA (10th-century Byzantine): /ˈfi.mi/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''φήμη''' (phḗmē) ''f'' (genitive φήμης); first declension^(Wiktionary)

+ Aeolic and Doric [[φάμα|tr=phámā]].^(LSJ 1940)^(CGL 2021)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|grk-pro|*pʰā́mā]],^(Wiktionary) from [[ine-pro|*bʰeh₂-meh₂]], a noun from [[m|ine-pro|*bʰeh₂-|t=to speak]]; within Greek it is the full-grade noun of [[φημί|tr=phēmí]] “to say”.^(Wiktionary)^(Frisk 1960)^(Βασικό Λεξικό) It corresponds exactly to [[la|fāma|t=talk, rumour, reputation]].^(Frisk 1960)

+

+ Frisk notes that this root is identical in sound with *bʰeh₂- “to shine”, the root of [[φαίνω|tr=phaínō]], and that the two can be united in meaning, as in “to declare, make clear”.^(Frisk 1960)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ In the ''Odyssey'' it is a chance saying that carries a meaning the speaker does not intend, an omen: Telemachus rejoices at such a word, and Odysseus prays to Zeus for a φήμη and hears one spoken by a woman in the house.^(Cunliffe 1924)^(LSJ 1940)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Classical Greek extended it to any prophetic or divinely prompted utterance: an oracle, the message of a dream (Herodotus), the voices of seers (Sophocles, Euripides), and Plato and Xenophon list φῆμαι with oracles, dreams and the signs of birds.^(LSJ 1940)^(CGL 2021)^(Βασικό Λεξικό) It also meant ordinary speech and naming, sayings and legends, and above all news, report and rumour, often false, and the word of mouth that Hesiod and Aeschines personify.^(CGL 2021)^(Βασικό Λεξικό) From report came reputation and renown (Herodotus, Euripides, the orators), and Bacchylides personifies Fame.^(CGL 2021)

+

+ In the New Testament it is the news that spread through a region (Matthew 9:26, Luke 4:14).^(BDAG 2000) It continues as [[el|φήμη|tr=fími]], a learned word for rumour and reputation.^(Triantafyllidis 1998) The compound [[εὐφημισμός|tr=euphēmismós]], the use of a word of good omen in place of an ill-omened one, is the source of [[en|euphemism]].^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * Homer – the ''Odyssey'': a chance remark taken as an omen.^(Cunliffe 1924)^(LSJ 1940)

+ * Before the 6th century BC – Hesiod personifies Rumour.^(CGL 2021)^(DGE)

+ * 7th–6th century BC – Sappho uses it for a report.^(CGL 2021)^(DGE)

+ * 5th century BC – Herodotus uses it for the message of a dream, and Sophocles for an oracle.^(LSJ 1940)^(CGL 2021)^(DGE)

+ * 5th–4th century BC – Plato and Xenophon list φῆμαι with oracles and dreams.^(LSJ 1940)^(Βασικό Λεξικό)^(DGE)

+ * 1st century AD – the Gospels: the news spread.^(BDAG 2000)

+ * Modern Greek – φήμη, rumour and reputation.^(Triantafyllidis 1998)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A prophetic pronouncement, [[m|en|oracle]], the message of a dream, and ''(personified)'' a goddess (Plutarch).^(CGL 2021)^(LSJ 1940)

+ # An auspicious utterance, a chance remark taken as an [[m|en|omen]].^(CGL 2021)^(Cunliffe 1924)

+ # Utterance, speech, song; a name.^(CGL 2021)

+ # A saying or proverb; a story or legend.^(CGL 2021)^(Βασικό Λεξικό)

+ # News, a message; a report or [[m|en|rumour]].^(CGL 2021)^(BDAG 2000)

+ # Word of mouth, popular talk, and ''(personified)'' Rumour.^(CGL 2021)

+ # Reputation, [[m|en|renown]].^(CGL 2021)^(Βασικό Λεξικό)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[εὔφημος|tr=eúphēmos]]

+ * [[εὐφημισμός|tr=euphēmismós]]

+ * [[εὐφημία|tr=euphēmía]]

+ * [[δυσφημία|tr=dusphēmía]]

+ * [[βλάσφημος|tr=blásphēmos]]

+ * [[περίφημος|tr=períphēmos]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[φημί|tr=phēmí]]

+ * [[φῆμις|tr=phêmis]]

+ * [[la|fāma]]

+ * [[en|euphemism]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}