Origins of the Greek language

[Magedon]

Large part of anc greek can b traced back to hebrew, SoM, thats 4 sure. Take just Aleph/Alpha example. It is the First letter after all...Greek non-ie-traits are all semitic, traced back to hebrew even some aramaic words. Thats why they both have numerical kabbalah system linked to the language tru the 22 letters of the hebrew alphabet - 22 tarot arkanas, and so on.Dunno tho how much letters have the greek alphabet.

[Soldier of Macedon]

More on the Semetic influence in the Greek language, reflected in the large pool of non Indo-European words that are present.

http://books.google.com.au/books?id=0qAoqP4g1fEC&pg=PA24&lpg=PA24&dq=Greek+language,+semetic+words&source=bl&ots=_f_CAzKx52&sig=CA4vxZkayNoUU9_aulAbvvTI-wg&hl=en&ei=7ayOSpfoJ4ecsgPeur3oCQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=5#v=onepage&q=&f=false

An interesting point that should be made. The Greek word for gold is Semetic in origin, both in ancient and modern times.

The Macedonian word for gold in modern times is 'Zlato', the same as it was in Church Slavonic during the middle ages - Compare this to the reconstructed Proto-Slavic 'Zalta', and finally to the ancient Thracian word for gold, which is 'Saltas':

http://www.wordgumbo.com/ie/cmp/thra.htm

[Risto the Great]

When you realise the names we have for each letter of Old Macedonian and their obvious etymology, it is obvious why the language and alphabet of our ancestors dominated half of Europe.

[Soldier of Macedon]

The situation for the Greek language differs, the letters they use were not created for their language, and there are several words of pre-Greek, non-Greek and non Indo-European origin.

There are also Semetic words from both pre and post biblical era.

There are several Latin words in Greek also, that appear 'Greek' to the untrained eye. For example, somebody would see the word 'Spiti' (home) and assume that because it kind of 'looks' Greek it must be so, let alone the fact that it is a bastardised word that stems from the Latin 'Hospitium', from where the English word 'Hospitality' also comes.

There are several Slavic, Turkish and even Albanian words, more of which can be found in the dialects rather than the purged literary language.

It would be good if we can disect the language properly and see what is what, although finding Greeks willing to assist in this task will be difficult.

[Risto the Great]

SoM, the truly smart Greeks either stay quiet or end their academic careers. Expect no help from down south and expect no interest from anywhere else.

[Soldier of Macedon]

I guess distinguishing the origins of words in the Greek language would expose the 'Greek purity' myth, on the other hand, it will contribute to our knowledge of the origin of ancient Greeks. A worthy project no doubt, I will keep posting up examples until we can compile something larger.

[Soldier of Macedon]

Earlier in the thread it was remarked that many of the non-Greek words in the Greek language are terms related to marine, agriculture, technology, deities and pre-existing placenames.

Below is a list of words identified thus far. There are several more to add.


Thalassa
Thessaly
Larissa
Parnassos
Molossus
Perinthus
Corinth
Attica
Dodona
Athena
Hellen
Milise
Hrisos

[Dejan]

What about the words 'kosmos' and 'istoria' (istorija)?

[Risto the Great]

I was chatting the other day with my son and the word "hypocrite" came up and the etymology appears to be ancient hellenic and was used to describe an "actor".


From wikipedia
The word hypocrisy comes from the Greek ὑπόκρισις (hypokrisis), which means "play-acting", "acting out", "feigning" or "dissembling"[2]. The word hypocrite is from the Greek word ὑποκρίτης (hypokrites), the agentive noun associated with υποκρίνομαι (hypokrinomai), i.e. "I play a part." Both derive from the verb κρίνω, "judge" (»κρίση, "judgement" »κριτική (kritiki), "critics") presumably because the performance of a dramatic text by an actor was to involve a degree of interpretation, or assessment, of that text.

The word is an amalgam of the Greek prefix hypo-, meaning "under", and the verb "krinein", meaning "to sift or decide". Thus the original meaning implied a deficiency in the ability to sift or decide. This deficiency, as it pertains to one's own beliefs and feelings, informs the word's contemporary meaning[3].

Whereas hypokrisis applied to any sort of public performance (including the art of rhetoric), hypokrites was a technical term for a stage actor and was not considered an appropriate role for a public figure. In Athens in the 4th Century BC, for example, the great orator Demosthenes ridiculed his rival Aeschines, who had been a successful actor before taking up politics, as a hypokrites whose skill at impersonating characters on stage made him an untrustworthy politician. This negative view of the hypokrites, perhaps combined with the Roman disdain for actors, later shaded into the originally neutral hypokrisis. It is this later sense of hypokrisis as "play-acting," i.e. the assumption of a counterfeit persona, that gives the modern word hypocrisy its negative connotation.

And I thought about "pokriva" in Macedonian meaning "cover". Which could certainly share something. Anyone think they might be related? I note Russian uses the same term "покрывало" so it may not be related to Hellenic languages .... but who knows ...

[Soldier of Macedon]

Kriva (or Kria) means to 'hide' and in this context the prefix of Po gives added emphasis and changes the directive, for example:

Kriai go stolot. (Hide the chair - in the general sense).
Skriai go stolot. (Hide the chair - now and present).
Pokriai go stolot. (Hide the chair - cover with a cloth).

Not sure if it is related to Hypocrite though, as the word Hypo is the base for 'under' or 'under cover'.

@Dejan, the word Istoria might be one worth looking at closer, but Kosmos sounds far-fetched, and I have only ever seen Vasil Iljov write about it (I think).

[lvintra]

Υou sπeak adout very old words "names of places". thalassa(θαλασσα) in time of Ομηρος right thalatta(θαλαττα).You need an expert to speak for these words or learn Greek and google will be your best friend!

milise =>medieval μιλῶ <ancient ὁμιλέω-ὁμιλῶ

FIND SOMETHING MORE CLEVER TO POST

[Soldier of Macedon]

Those 'very old words' are non-Greek, they cannot be broken down and explained in your language, I don't need one of your experts to tell me this, other experts already say it.

As for Milise, I have read that it comes from a Semitic word, I will try and search for the source.

This is clever posting my friend, Macedonians are becoming clever and scrutinising Greek history (and how fun it has been), the way Greeks have scrutinised Macedonian history. All fair game, besides, my historical interests trascend beyond Macedonia.

[Soldier of Macedon]

Here, read some more about Semitic words in Greek.

http://books.google.com.au/books?id=-f_NA74CrNgC&pg=PA167&lpg=PA167&dq=Semitic+words+in+Greek+language&source=bl&ots=VJ6e5OZGQB&sig=VFUEGWgHDkAW_Ld7kNIQhtI5q-Q&hl=en&ei=CUCTSuHrGJD-tQOU0snPDw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=5#v=onepage&q=Semitic%20words%20in%20Greek%20language&f=false

What is your opinion about the origin of the Greek language, Dorian invasion, etc, where did it all begin?

[Soldier of Macedon]

http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Hebrew/Language

http://translate.google.com/translate_t?hl=en#en|el|speak

סֵפֶר -- word: mee-la (Hebrew)
μιλώ -- speak: mee-lo (Greek)


Coincidence? Even in the works of Homer there were several Semitic words.

[King Makedon]

Well, i made a little reseach by my own by playing with words.

The god ZEUS (modern term) or in macedonian ZEFS or greek SEFS

We know that the romans had no letter "U" in those days, instead they used the letter "V". So instead of "ZEUS" it was written "ZEVS".
(other example JUSTICIA/IUSTICIA/IVSTICIA where we can derrive the word "IST" in macedonian in meaning of equal. JUSTINIAN/IUSTINIAN/IVSTINIAN where the word "ISTINA" or "VISTINA" (standard macedonian)).
[This also indicates that ancient macedonian language was already influenced much by latin loan words during roman occupation,which already lasted almost 700 years. I guess it was another form of reviving the macedonian language the so called old slavonic language. Since 'slavic' invaders invaded the balkans.
Those new invaders had probably much problems with communicating with the indigenous macedonians due to latinization and the use of koine, that's why i guess both
holy brothers of Cyrill and Methodius from Salonika went to thr secret cave (found again few years ago) where the writings of the ancients were still kept. Both brothers developed therefore the 'old slavonic', because those slavic invaders were non others than macedonians who fled of the romans and some others came together with the Huns. A new theory about the Hunza people is that they are the Huns. In this case both, emmigrated macedonians from Pakistan came all the long way back home aswell the others the Slavs from the north. It's evident that both macedonian groups could understand each others language. Those from behind the karpats and those from today's Pakistan in the Himmalaya, weird isn't it?
......This is just a theory i put 1+1 together and this is the result.......].



Since we learned that ancient macedonian writings are read from the right to the left (like hebrew or arabic) following word can be seen.

ZEVS = SVEZ
The meaning of God ZEUS has now the meaning term in macedonian language which means everything,all, even conciouss.
Many macedonians will recognize it. How many words have derrived of it? -many
some examples:
SVE
SVESTA (SOVESTA standard macedonian)
ZVEZDA
SVET
SVETLO


As for Kosmos, i read somwhere that it is ancient macedonian and it means:
KOSMOS

KOS MOST

as the ancient saw the milkyway in their understanding as a bridge.