ἄσφαλτος Ancient Greek · revision 2339

+ {{infobox|confidence=disputed|formation=derivation|attested=7th–6th century BC, Alcaeus}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA (5th-century BC Attic): /ás.pʰal.tos/^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA (4th-century AD Koine): /ˈas.ɸal.tos/^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA (10th-century Byzantine): /ˈas.fal.tos/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''ἄσφᾰλτος''' (ásphaltos) ''f'' or m (genitive ἀσφᾰ́λτου); second declension^(Wiktionary)

+ Also neuter ἄσφαλτον (Hippocrates); rarely masculine; late spelling ἄσπαλτος (Diocletian's Price Edict).^(Beekes 2010)^(DGE)^(Rosół LOWAG)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ Its origin is disputed.^(Beekes 2010)^(DGE) The usual explanation takes it as a negated verbal adjective, [[af|grc|ἀ-|σφάλλω|tr1=a-|tr2=sphállō|t2=to make fall]], “not letting fall”, on the assumption that it was named as the binding material that keeps walls from being thrown down; [[ἀμέθυστος|tr=améthustos]] is compared for the active sense.^(Frisk 1960)^(DGE)^(Πάπυρος) Philo already derived it from σφάλλω.^(LSJ 1940)

+

+ Beekes finds the meaning too weak for that etymology and considers it rather a substrate word, perhaps Pre-Greek, noting with Diels that bitumen springs are found all over the Greek world, as on Zakynthos and near Dyrrhachium.^(Beekes 2010)^(Wiktionary) Rosół proposes a Semitic loan, from a word like [[akk|ziptu|t=pitch]] or [[he|זֶפֶת|tr=zép̄eṯ|t=pitch]] with metathesis of the first sounds.^(Rosół 2013) Diels and Πάπυρος reject Semitic etymologies.^(Rosół 2013)^(Frisk 1960)^(Πάπυρος)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The first known use is in Alcaeus.^(CGL 2021)^(Rosół LOWAG)^(DGE) Herodotus then describes bitumen used as mortar in building walls.^(CGL 2021)^(Rosół LOWAG)^(DGE)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Herodotus and Xenophon describe bitumen laid as mortar between bricks, and Herodotus and later Diodorus describe the places where it was found.^(DGE)^(Rosół LOWAG) The Hippocratic writers used it in plasters and fumigations, Nicander in antidotes against snakebite, and Galen in a depilatory.^(DGE) Dioscorides says it was produced in Phoenicia, at Sidon, in Babylon and on Zakynthos, and calls a liquid kind a sort of petroleum.^(Rosół 2013)^(LSJ 1940) Galen says it may be called feminine or masculine, as one likes.^(Rosół LOWAG)

+

+ In the Septuagint it is the pitch with which the ark is to be coated in Genesis.^(LSJ 1940)^(DGE)^(Rosół LOWAG) Late Latin borrowed it as [[m|la|asphaltum]], the source of English [[m|en|asphalt]] (early 14th century), which came to mean a paving material in 1847.^(Wiktionary)^(Etymonline) Medieval Greek kept it for a kind of pitch, and Modern Greek [[m|el|άσφαλτος|tr=ásfaltos]] took the sense “road surface, paved road” from French asphalte.^(Kriaras)^(Triantafyllidis 1998)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 7th–6th century BC – Alcaeus mentions it.^(CGL 2021)^(DGE)

+ * 5th century BC – Herodotus describes bitumen used as mortar.^(DGE)^(Rosół LOWAG)

+ * 5th century BC – the Hippocratic writers use it in medicine.^(DGE)

+ * 1st century AD – Dioscorides lists where it is found and describes a liquid petroleum.^(Rosół 2013)^(LSJ 1940)

+ * Early 14th century – English ''asphalt'', through Late Latin.^(Etymonline)

+ * Modern Greek – άσφαλτος “asphalt; paved road”.^(Triantafyllidis 1998)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # [[m|en|bitumen]], [[m|en|asphalt]].^(LSJ 1940)^(CGL 2021)

+ # A kind of [[m|en|petroleum]].^(LSJ 1940)

+ # ''(Septuagint)'' [[m|en|pitch]].^(LSJ 1940)^(DGE)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[ἀσφαλτόω|tr=asphaltóō]]

+ * [[ἀσφαλτώδης|tr=asphaltṓdēs]]

+ * [[ἀσφάλτιον|tr=aspháltion]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[la|asphaltum]]

+ * [[en|asphalt]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ Medieval Greek also had an unrelated adjective άσφαλτος “unerring, sure”, formed from σφάλλω “to trip, err”.^(Kriaras)^(Triantafyllidis 1998)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}