νειός: Difference between revisions

|etymtx=Grammatical information: f.<br />Meaning: [[fallow field]] (Hom., Hes., Call., Arist., Thphr.); on the meaning below.<br />Other forms: also [[νεός]] (X., Amorgos IVa), [[νειά]] (Amorgos IVa), [[νεά]] or [[νέα]] (Thphr., Att. inscr.).<br />Derivatives: Besides, in meaning quite deviating, the adv. <b class="b3">νει-όθεν</b> [[from below]] (K 10, hell. poet.), <b class="b3">νει-όθε</b> <b class="b2">id.</b> (poet. inscr. IIIp, Luc.), <b class="b3">νει-όθι</b> [[below]] (Φ 317, Hes. Th. 567, hell. poet.). -- Sup. [[νείατος]] (ep.), [[νέατος]], Arc. [[νήατος]], H. [[νῆτος]] [[most below]], [[utmost]] (Il.), after [[ἔσχατος]], [[πύματος]], cf. [[μέσος]] : [[μέσατος]]; f. [[νεάτη]] (Cratin., Pl.), contr. [[νήτη]] (Arist., Ptol.), sc. [[χορδή]] [[the lowest string]] (with the highest tone); <b class="b3">νειότατον κατώτατον</b> H.; also [[νήϊστος]] in <b class="b3">νήϊστα ἔσχατα</b>, [[κατώτατα]] H., prob also in [[Νήϊσται]] (Boeot. <b class="b3">-ϊτται</b>) [[πύλαι]] in Thebes (A. Th. 460, E. Ph. 1104). -- Fem. [[νείαιρα]] ([[νέαιρα]] Simon.) [[the lowest]], as subst. (sc. [[γαστήρ]]) [[belly]], [[abdomen]] (Il., Hp., hell.), cf. [[γέραιρα]] a.o. (Chantraine Form. 104, 234; cf. also Benveniste Origines 112); contr. [[νεῖρα]] (A. Ag. 1479, E. Rh. 794 [readings not quite certain], H.), here m. [[νειρός]] (Lyc., H.) with f. <b class="b3">νειρη κοίλη κοιλία ἐσχάτη</b> H. (Schwyzer 475). Cf. on the whole Schwyzer 503. -- Denomin. [[νεάω]] [[plough a fallow land]] (Hes. Op. 462, com., Thphr.), early connected with [[νέος]] [[new]], if not even derived from it, cf. on [[νέος]]; [[νεατός]] m. [[working of fallow land]] (X. Oik. 7, 20; like [[ἀλοατός]]), [[νέασις]] f. <b class="b2">id.</b> (Thphr.) with [[νεάσιμος]] (Gloss.; Arbenz 87).<br />Origin: IE [Indo-European] [312] <b class="b2">*ni-</b> <b class="b2">(be)low</b><br />Etymology: If [[νειόθεν]], [[νείατος]], [[νείαιρα]] are at all cognate with [[νειός]], [[νειός]] (sc. [[γῆ]], [[χώρα]]), it must have meant prop. *'lying low, lowlying plain'; the meaning [[fallow land]], which is also possible for Homer, but not compulsory (rather [[field]], [[plain]] ?), could rest on the early connection with [[νέος]] [[new]]; cf. Lat. [[novalis]], <b class="b2">-e</b> [[fallow land]]. -- Except for the ending [[νειός]] < <b class="b3">*νειϜός</b> can be identical with a Slavic word fur [[field]], e.g. OCS [[njiva]] (with dark <b class="b2">nj-</b>), Russ. <b class="b2">níva</b> f., IE <b class="b2">*neiu̯ó-s</b> (Slav. <b class="b2">-ā</b> secondary); Fick BB 1, 335f., Schulze KZ 27, 603f. (= Kl. Schr. 373f.). If we separate a formantic <b class="b2">u̯o-</b>element, we can connect the IE adv. <b class="b2">*ni</b> [[low]] in Skt. <b class="b2">ní</b> etc.; here a.o. OHG [[ni-dar]] [[to below]], OE [[neowol]] [[slanting]] from <b class="b2">*ni-wol</b> (cf. <b class="b3">νει-Ϝό-ς</b>). The writing <b class="b3">νη-</b> in [[νήϊστος]], [[νήατος]] is not convincingly explained. As old lengthened grade, esp. in a superlative, is very improbable, the [[η]] must be secondary. Hypotheses in Seiler Steigerungsformen 110ff., esp. on <b class="b3">Νήϊται πύλαι</b>; s. also WP. 2, 335 (= Pok. 313: [[η]] = closed [[ē]] from [[ει]] before palat. vowel?). On the Slav. words s. also Vasmer s. <b class="b2">níva</b>, with other explanations. -- Cf. also [[νέατος]] s. [[νέος]].