Can you imagine how many English words have roots in our common wish «Χρόνια πολλά» and in the second compound of the word Χριστούγεννα?
Verbatim «Χρόνια πολλά» means «Many years». What is the etymological connection?
1.CHRONO – MEANS THE TIME
Χρόνια, or τα χρόνια means the years. The Greek word ο χρόνος means the time, and the year, one year. It is found as the first compound in English words, chrono-. Ο χρόνος, the time had been personified in the deity Cronus, ο Κρόνος, in ancient Greek mythology.
English word Greek word Pronunciation
Cronus ο Κρόνος o KROnos
The chronology η χρονολογία ee hronoloYEEa
The chronometer το χρονόμετρο to hroNOmetro
Chronic ο χρόνιος o HROnios
The chronicle το χρονικό to hroniKO
- POLY – MEANS MANY
Πολλά means many in Greek and is the plural, neuter grammatical gender of the adjective ο πολύς, η πολλή, το πολύ, whose declination is irregular. The word πολλά is familiar to you from the prefix poly-, which derives from the above Greek adjective and occurs in many English words.
English word Greek word Pronunciation
Polychromy η πολυχρωμία ee polihroMEEa
-chromy το χρώμα to HROma
Polyclinic η πολυκλινική ee poliklinikEE
clinic η κλινική ee kliniKEE
Polygamy η πολυγαμία ee polEEyamia
-gamy ο γάμος o YAmos
Polygon το πολύγωνο to poLEEyono
-gon η γωνία ee yoNEEa
Polyhedron το πολύεδρο to polEEedron
-edron η έδρα ee Edra
Polymorphic ο πολυμορφικός o polimorfiKOS
-morphic η μορφή ee morPHEE
3.ΧΡΙΣΤΟΥΓΕΝΝΑ
Χριστούγεννα is a composite word from the genitive case of the name Χριστός (του Χριστού= Christ’s) and the noun η γέννα (=the birth). It is the birth of Christ, therefore Χριστούγεννα means the day, when Christ was born.
- THE GREEK -GEN- IN ENGLISH
The prefix of many English words gen- and the suffix -gen come from the Greek root γεν-, which means becoming, give birth to.
English word Greek word Pronunciation
gene το γονίδιο to yoNEEdio
gender το γένος to YEnos
genealogical ο γενεαλογικός o yenealoyiKOS
genealogy η γενεαλογία ee yenealoYEEa
genesis η γένεσις ee YEnesis
genetic ο γενετικός o yenetiKOS
genetically γενετικά yenetiKA
genetics η Γενετική ee yenetiKEE
genotype ο γονότυπος o yoNOtipos
genius ο ιδιοφυής o idiofiEES
oxygen το οξυγόνο to oxiYOno
hydrogen το υδρογόνο to idroYOno
Η ΓΕΝΝΗΣΗ ΚΑΙ Η ΓΕΝΕΣΙΣ
In ancient and modern Greek too, we have two different verbs which etymologically come from the root γεν-. The verbs γίγνομαι and γεννάω. The first, γίγνομαι in ancient Greek and γίνομαι (YEEnome) in modern Greek expresses the process of existence, a becoming. From this verb derives the word genesis, η γένεσις in ancient Greek, η γένεση (ee YEnesi) in modern Greek. The second verb γεννάω, (yeNAo) expresses the act of engendering, of giving birth to something, of bringing something into being. From the verb γεννάω derive the words η γέννα (ee YEna), η γέννηση (ee YEnisi). Philologists haven’t reached a conclusion why η γένεση is written with one ν and η γέννηση with two.
EXAMPLES
Η γέννηση του Χριστού. (EE YEnisi too hriSTOO). The birth of Christ.
Η γένεση του κόσμου. (EE YEnesi too KOsmoo). The genesis (creation) of the world.
Η μαμά μου γέννησε εμένα. (EE maMA moo YEnise eMEna). My mother gave birth to me.
Η μαμά μου γέννησε την αδελφή μου /τον αδελφό μου. (EE maMA moo YEnise teen adelFEE moo /ton adeLFO moo). My mother gave birth to my sister /to my brother.
PRONUNCIATION KEY
i (idiom), ee (needle), e (energy), o (organism), oo (boot), y (yes), h (helium), th (theory), d (the). The capitalized syllables are accented.
The post Our Everyday Greek: REVIEW: Roots of English words in «Χρόνια πολλά», «Χριστούγεννα» appeared first on The National Herald.