μάτη: Difference between revisions

|Definition=[ᾰ], ἡ, <span class="sense"><span class="bld">A</span> [[folly]], [[fault]], <b class="b3">μάτας εἰπών</b> speaking [[folly]], <span class="bibl">Stesich.47</span>, cf. <span class="bibl">A.<span class="title">Ch.</span>918</span> (pl.); <b class="b3">μάταισι πολυθρόοις</b> with clamorous [[lewdness]], <span class="bibl">Id.<span class="title">Supp.</span> 820</span> (lyr.) (but expld. by Sch. as 'quest'); οὔ τί τοι μέτρον μάτας <span class="bibl">S.<span class="title">Fr.</span>798</span>. </span><span class="sense"><span class="bld">II</span> cf. [[μάτην]] ad fin.</span>

|etymtx=Grammatical information: f.<br />Meaning: roughly [[fault]], [[folly]] (Stesich., A., S.), also [[ματίη]] <b class="b2">id.</b> (κ 79, A. R.), metr. useful transformation (Porzig Satzinhalte 204 a. 70, Scheller Oxyronierung 39 w. n. 1). -- [[μάτην]] adv. [[idly]], [[vainly]], [[without reason]] (h. Cer.).<br />Derivatives: 1. [[μάταιος]] [[idly]], [[empty]], [[foolish]], [[rash]] (IA.) with <b class="b3">ματαιό-της</b> (hell.), <b class="b3">-σύνη</b> (Polem. Phgn.) <b class="b2">idleness etc.</b> and the denominatives: a) (<b class="b3">ἀπο-</b>) [[ματαΐζω]] (Hdt., J.), [[ματᾳζω]] (A., S.; on the phonetics etc. Schwyzer 265 a. 736) [[talk nonsense]], [[act foolishly]], also <b class="b3">-αιάζω</b> <b class="b2">id.</b> (hell.); b) [[ματαιόομαι]], <b class="b3">-όω</b> [[render to puposelessness]], [[act foolishly]] (LXX, NT) with [[ματαίωμα]] (Hermas). -- 2. [[ματάω]], aor. [[ματῆσαι]] [[do in vain]], [[miss]], [[be useless]] (Il.).<br />Origin: PG [a word of Pre-Greek origin]X [probably]<br />Etymology: The difficulty, to define exactly the original meaning of the verbal noun <b class="b3">μά-τη</b> (on its formation Fraenkel Nom. sg. 2, 115) and the fossilized acc. [[μάτην]] which originated from there (Schwyzer 621), makes searching for a convincing etymology almost impossible. The connection with some Slavic words, e.g. Pol. [[mat-am]], <b class="b2">mat-ać</b> [[swindel]], [[turn]], [[lie]], [[deceive]], Sbcr. [[mat-am]], [[-ati]] [[allure]], [[attract]] (Bq, WP. 2, 219f., Pok. 693 with Prellwitz and Zubatý) has clearly a minimal value; cf. Vasmer Wb. s. <b class="b2">matošítь</b>, where the Slavic words are estimated differently. S. also on [[μηνύω]]. Different proposals in Bq. - Fur. 88 n. 476 reminds that words for stupid, foolish are often Pre-Greek (also 242, 339; cf. <b class="b3">ματταβος ὁ μωρός Η</b>.; also words in <b class="b3">-αιος</b> are often Pre-Greek.