Amerias

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Amerias (Greek: Ἀμερίας, 3rd century BC) was an ancient Macedonian lexicographer, known for his compilation of a Glossary entitled (Γλῶσσαι Glossai terms,words). Αnother of his works was called Ριζοτομικός , Rizotomikos ( ῥίζα + τέμνειν rhiza + temnein , Root -cutting) an etymological treatise.

Words of Amerias have survived in the writings of Hesychius and Athenaeus.

From the titles and the wording of Athenaeus,it is evident that Amerias did not write an exclusively Macedonian dictionary.He included in his Glossai a Homeric vocabulary as well,as most of the Alexandrian grammarians.The only marked Macedonian term,given by Hesychius, is sauadai ,saudoi silenoi.Athenaeus calls him many times Amerias the Macedonian but it is Seleucus of Alexandria,who is quoted with the Macedonian bread dramis,while Amerias in the same chapter(3.114b) is quoted with the bread ξηροπυρίτας, xeropyritas.The suffix -as indicates a Doric word,as badas and rhappaulas but they are not reported as Macedonian; they may be, they may be not.Words that resemble the Hesychius-Macedonian sound-law are: badas Attic batalos ,kalithos Attic khalis, grabion and kalarrhugai,while Bathale,pekhari,scheron,tetholos,hyphainein as well the suffix -thos of kalithos contradict it.

In any case, since Amerias is the only ancient proper Grammarian/Lexicographer ,who is quoted as Macedonian, his Glossary is regarded generally as Macedonian at least of 4th-3rd century BC.

[edit] Glossary

• βαδάς badas cinaedus,gay male (Attic batalos) (Tarantinian batas sloping,going down.
• Βαθάλη Bathale name of fountain (Greek βαθύ,bathu deep + ἅλλομαι,hallomai,ἅλσις halsis spring,jump or ἅλς, ἁλός hals halos sea) βαθύαλος bathyalos deep sea Bathyal zone
• βαυβυκάν baubukan (Attic πελεκάν pelekan pelican)(Philitas of Cos βαίβυκος baibukos,pelican)(Greek bau wow ,βυκανάω bukanao blow the trumpet bukane).Homeric buktaôn swell,blow. Pelekan,pelekys axe.
• γράβιον^[1] grabion torch (already used by Strattis in his Phoenissae)(PIE *grabh-, 'hornbeam', Umbrian Grabovius an oak-god, etymologically linked by LSJ and Pokorny to Attic κράβ(β)ατος krabbatos 'couch, bed', Latin grabātus - which LSJ derives from Macedonian - hence modern Greek κρεβάτι kreváti 'bed') Quoted also by Theodoridas of Syracuse and Seleucus of Alexandria.
• ἕλάνη^[2] helane torch (Greek hele light,brightness Helios Sun) Quoted also by Nicander of Colophon.
• ἐπήβολος epêbolos in possession of, Homeric β 319. Amerias safe .Macedonian parembole barracks. (Schol Apoll. Rhod. II 1280).
• ἕρκιται^[3] herkitai field slaves (Greek herkos fence,enclosure,heirkte jail)
• ἐρίνακαι^[4] erinakai wild figs (Attic ἐρινός erinos wild fig erineos,ἐρινεός wild fig-tree) (erinades also)
• εὔκονος^[5] eukonos branned bread eu + konis good dust.Quoted also by Timachidas of Rhodes.
• ζακελτίδες^[6] zakeltides gourds , (Boeotian: zekeltides turnips by Nicander) (Phrygian zelkia vegetables) Quoted also by Timachidas of Rhodes
• καλαῤῥυγαί kalarrhugai ditches, trenches (Laconian καλαρῖνες kalarines sewers) (Ambraciote καλαῤῥύα kalarrhua ditch)^[7] (Homeric akalarrheitês soft-flowing).
• κάλιθος kalithos wine (Greek χάλις chalis unmixed wine)
• καμαστίς kamastis type of measurement (Greek κάμαξ kamax vine pole,shaft,wooden lance) Aeolic:kammarpsis measurement for wheat,food half-medimnos.
• κλίσιον klision outbuildings round a klisia place for lying down or reclining.Amerias prostoon Portico
• λισσός lissos smooth.EM Amerias lissos high.Cretan lyttos high,tall Cretan cities Lissos and Lyttos.
• λυχνίς^[8] luchnis Lychnis species of flowering plants.Lychnos light,lamp.Word in Rizotomikos of Amerias.
• ξηροπυρίτας^[9] xeropyritas whole-wheat bread (Greek xeros+ pyros dry wheat.Quoted also by Timachidas of Rhodes.
• πέχαρι pechari deer (Laconian berkios) (Attic elaphos) (Greek pheugein Lithuanian begti , run)
• πίγγα pinga owl,πίγγαν pingan masculine owlet (Greek σπίγγος,spingos finch)
• ῥάππαυλας^[10] rhappaulas flautist,auletes,calamaules (Greek rhappa ^[11] (reed) + aulos)
• σαυᾶδαι , σαῦδοι sauâdai, sâudoi Macedonian word for Silenoi (Thraco-Phrygian God Sabazios), (Upper Macedonian eponym Sabattaras father of Machatas).
• σαυτορία sautoria salvation (Greek Soteria) Homeric,Aeolic saoô,saô save saôtôr savior
• σμώγη smoge Viper's Bugloss βούγλωσσον bouglosson or the fish bouglossos (Attic σμώγη smoge drop,vicissitude σμώγω smogo strike,pain smogeron painful)
• σχερόν scheron ready wave(?).. (κῦμα ἕτοιμον..) (Greek σχερός scheroscoast,beach) (ἐν σχερῷ en scherôi in a line) (Scheria Corfu island)
• ταῦροι^[12] tauroi (Greek tavroi bulls) (Ephesian word ,the youths who acted as cupbearers at the local festival of Poseidon)
• τεθολώς tetholos filled,stuffed (Greek thaleros buxom,blooming or tholoô (passive participle tetholomenos,tholeros dense,dim,confused,muddy)(Tholos,dome)
• τιτύρινος^[13] tityrinos single pipe (Attic monaulos) Tityros the Doric word for Satyr.^[14]
• ὑφαίνειν hyphainein to ignite,burn ( ὑφᾶται it is burnt)(Greek hyphainein to weave ,ὑφάπτειν hyphaptein to burn)

[edit] References

• Amerias Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology
• Amerias der Makedone by Otto Hoffmann
• Hesychius of Alexandria
• LSJ A Greek-English Lexicon

1. ^ Athenaeus -Deipnosophists 15.57
2. ^ Athenaeus -Deipnosophists by Charles Burton Gulick[1]
3. ^ Athenaeus -Deipnosophists,6.267-Greek and Roman Slavery by Thomas Wiedemann[2]
4. ^ Athenaeus Deipnosophists 3.10
5. ^ Athenaeus-Deipnosophists 3.81 3.114e
6. ^ Athenaeus Deipnosophists -9.369
7. ^ Parmenion of Byzantium -Die Makedonen: Ihre Sprache und ihr Volkstum by Otto Hoffmann[3]
8. ^ Athenaeus Deipnosophists 15.681f
9. ^ Athenaeus-Deipnosophists-3.81 3.114e
10. ^ Athenaeus: Deipnosophists-4.176
11. ^ Greek Musical Writings by Andrew Barker[4]
12. ^ Athenaeus Deipnosophists 10 425c
13. ^ The Learned Banqueters by Athenaeus 4.176
14. ^ TITYRI : Flute-playing satyrs ;www.theoi.com,

[edit] See also

Ancient Macedonian language