σκυτάλη: Difference between revisions

|etymtx=Grammatical information: f.<br />Meaning: [[stick]], [[club]], [[spar]], [[drum]] in diff. technical mean. (Archil., Pi.). From the lit. is esp. known the letter-staff, which the Spartans used for secret dispatches. Metaph. as des. of a snake (Nic. a. o.), of a fish (Opp.; Strömberg Fischn. 36).<br />Other forms: Beside <b class="b3">σκύταλον</b> n. [[stick]], [[club]] (Pi., Hdt., Ar., X.).<br />Derivatives: Dimin. <b class="b3">σκυτάλ-ιον</b> n. (Ar., hell. a. late), <b class="b3">-ίς</b> f. (Hdt., hell a. late); further <b class="b3">-ίας</b> m. as name of a <b class="b3">σίκυος</b> (Thphr.; Strömberg Theophr. 91) a. o.; <b class="b3">-ωτός</b> <b class="b2">provided with a σ.</b> (Hero, EM); <b class="b3">-ισμός</b> m. <b class="b2">fist-law</b>, in Argos (D.S., Plu.); <b class="b3">-όομαι</b> [[to be clubbed]] (EM, H.) with <b class="b3">-ωσις</b> (Trozen).<br />Origin: XX [etym. unknown]<br />Etymology: Instrument name like <b class="b3">ῥόπαλον</b>, <b class="b3">πάσσαλος</b> a. o. (Chantraine Form. 245 f.); no certain connection. First from <b class="b3">*σκύτος</b> (cf. <b class="b3">σκυτίζει σπαράττει</b> H. ?), which agrees formally with Lith. <b class="b2">skùtas</b> [[rag]], [[piece]], [[patch]]. Besides the primary verb <b class="b2">skutù</b>, <b class="b2">skùsti</b> [[shave]], [[plane]], [[peel]] (cf. on <b class="b3">ξύω</b>); so <b class="b3">*σκύος</b>, <b class="b3">-άλη</b> prop. *'planed piece of wood'? (Lith. <b class="b2">skutùlė</b> [[wooden box with cover]] (Rozwadowski, s. Glotta 2, 356) is a loan from MLG [[schuttel]], from Lat. [[scutella]]). -- Lat. LW [loanword] [[scutula]]. Cf. [[σκῦρος]], [[σκύτη]] and [[σκῦτος]].