BRIEF, BRIEFING, BREVITY [English words of Greek origin)

[Neos]

The word brief comes from the Latin brevis (short) that derives from the ancient Greek brahis (short).

From the same root: briefing, briefly, brevity, briefcase, briefness.

In modern Greek:
a) brahis: short
b) brahitis: shortness, brevity
c) brahino: to shorten, to cut down

brahis --> brevis --> brief

See the blog: English words of no apparent Greek origin at: http://ewonago.blogspot.com/

[annis]

brahis --> brevis --> brief

No.

Indo-european *mrg'h-u- (zero-grade) --> βÏ￾αχÏ￾Ï‚ in Greek, and
Indo-european *mreg'h-u- (e-grade) --> brevis in Latin.

To say L. brevis is derived from G. βÏ￾αχÏ￾Ï‚ is just not right. Greek is a sibling to Latin, not a parent.

[Neos]

I would like to thank William Annis for his comments.
Instead of an answer, i would like to quote two paragraphs from the Preface of the "Etymological Dictionary of the Latin Language" by F. Valpy (London, 1828) concerning the relationship between Latin and Greek. - See below.
Thank you very much
With best regards
John Neos

PS. I tried to copy-paste the segment, but technically it was not possible to enter an image in the post. So i typed the segment. For those who do not have Greek fonts, i wrote the Greek words with Latin characters in parenthesis.

"But of what kind is that connection? Is that of mother and daughter, or of sister and sister? If it is of the former kind, then it is sufficient for the Etymologist to trace a Latin to a Greek word. If of the latter, he has gained but little by so doing, but must go on to some other language which produced both. The question then is of essential importance to the Etymologist.
Let me try the words Domus and Δόμος (Domos). Can we carry Domus any further back in Latin? – No. But we can carry Δόμος (Domos) further back in Greek, and can refer it to Δέμω (Demo), to build, whose perfect middle is Δέδομα (Dedoma). We may go perhaps further, and refer Δέμω (Demo) itself to Δέω (Deo), to bind, to bind together: the perfect passive of which is Δέδεμαι (Dedeme), hence is the word Δέμα (Dema). The Latin word Domus therefore is allied to the Greek language not as a sister, but as a daughter. Thus also Argentum can be traced no further in Latin. But in Greek is ΑÏ￾γός (Argos), white; and ΑÏ￾γήεις (Argeis), genitive ΑÏ￾γήεντος (Argientos), ΑÏ￾γήντος (Argintos), white. Tremo is from ΤÏ￾έμω (tremo), and ΤÏ￾έμω (Tremo) from ΤÏ￾έω (Treo), ΤέτÏ￾εμαι (Tetrame). So Pompa is from Πομπή (Pompe), this from Πέμπω (Pempo), Πέπομπα (Pepompa). Tragicus is from ΤÏ￾αγικός (Tragikos), this from ΤÏ￾άγος (Tragos). Poema is from Ποίημα (Poeema), this from Ποιέω (Poeeo), Πεποίημαι (Pepoeeme). In Latin we have no Demo, or Argeis in the sense of white, or Treo, or Pempo, or Tragus in the sense of a goat, or Poieo. Therefore the Latin is not a sister of the Greek, but proceeds from it, as a daughter from the mother. And the Latin Etymologist is justified in tracing a Latin to a Greek word – I speak not of Later Greek –and there leaving it, thinking that it then becomes the province of the Greek Etymologist to trace it further back in the Greek or to carry it on to some other language."

[annis]

Instead of an answer, i would like to quote two paragraphs from the Preface of the "Etymological Dictionary of the Latin Language" by F. Valpy (London, 1828) concerning the relationship between Latin and Greek.

We should not be relying on works nearly two centuries old as etymological authorities. No modern historical linguist is going to accept Latin as the daughter language of Greek. The idea is completely indefensible.

[Lucus Eques]

Will is correct. To say that all Latin words derive from Greek is as silly as saying all Spanish words derive from Italian.

[IreneY]

You must be kidding! All words of all languages come from Greek. Haven't you seen my big fat Greek wedding where the father of the bride explains how "kimono" comes from "χειμών" ?

Edit. Found the quote:"Kimono, kimono, kimono. Ha! Of course! Kimono is come from the Greek word himona, is mean winter. So, what do you wear in the wintertime to stay warm? A robe. You see: robe, kimono. There you go!"

[Misopogon]

Oh Irene you're great, I was thinking about the same film! Lol


Regards
Misopogon

[benissimus]

This is all besides the point, since Greek derives from Chinese anyways.

[IreneY]

Ouch! That "article" actually hurt! However I suspect the writer either wanted to prove that Chinese come from Greek or this is another "Atlantis mother of all civilizations" "proof"

Misopogon, I forgot to mention that according to Gus Portokalos "Miller" comes from "μήλο", "apple". I think I like that one more (I guess millers milled apples in England).

[annis]

My brains hurt now.

[IreneY]

Brain! That comes from Greek too. From "εμπÏ￾ός" > "έμπÏ￾οσθεν" since you can only go forward if you use your brains.