I was wondering about the word Πελοπόννησος “Peloponnese”. If it derives from the proper noun Πέλοψ “Pelops”, with stem Πέλοπ-, and from the noun νῆσος “island”, then why is the -n- doubled? Is this an indication that the word νῆσος used to have an extra initial consonant, for example?
Smyth 81 D. 1. Hom. has many cases of doubled liquids and nasals: ἔλλαβε took, ἄλληκτος unceasing, ἄμμορος without lot in, φιλομμειδής fond of smiles, ἀγάννιφος very snowy, ἀργεννός white, ἔννεπε relate. These forms are due to the assimilation of ς and λ, μ, or ν. Thus, ἀγά-ννιφος is from ἀγα-σνιφος, cp. sn in snow.
Πέλοπος νῆσος → Πελοπόννησος. Not that this is Homeric, but it would seem to be the same process as work.
I find it dissatisfying to explain it as a genitive attribute, but unfortunately cannot think of an alternative. One should like to see the use of the stem, here Πελοπο-, as we have χερσό-νησος ‘peninsula’. I know we have Nàpoli < Νεάπολις < νέᾱ πόλις, originally a phrase ‘new town’ instead of the rigorously expected **Νεόπολις, so it’s not totally without precedent. Frisk, Chantraine and Beekes are all silent on this matter.
EDIT. Well, we do have Διόσκουροι and νεώσοικος ‘dock(yard)’ (see Bornemann-Risch §306), so I suppose I am luchando contra molinos de viento here. Sigh
I now looked in Schwyzer’s grammar, and he explains that Sprachgefühl of the genitivity was lost in many common phrases, which is plausible enough in fairness (I was too stern above). But, interestingly, Schwyzer says that it derives from Πελόπων νᾶσος, with genitive plural. The vowel-shortening does have parallels (p. 280).
Hmm, I wonder why Schwyzer says that. Wasn’t there only ever the one Pelops? I don’t see why it shouldn’t simply be assimilated Πελοπος-νησος.
How likely is it actually that Peloponnese is the “island of Pelops”? Isn’t that folk etymology? I thought that in the real world eponymic heroes generally get their names from places and not the other way round. (Although Amerigo Vespucci gave his name to America…)
Well the –νησος has to be “island,” and Ι don’t see how πελοπο(ς) can be anything other than “of pelops” (or “of pelopes” if Schwyzer is right)—unless you want to posit a 2nd-decl. nominative *πελοπος—and pelops is never anything other than the proper name so far as I’m aware. It’s no surprise if the Peloponnese took its name from him, given his antiquity and the importance of Olympia. Etymologically is Pelops grey-eyed? Cf. πελλος, πελιος, πολιος, etc. LSJ s.v. πελλος adds Skt. palitás “grey” and Latin cognates. (It would be nice if it could be brought into connexion with the ivory shoulder, but I don’t see how that’s possible.) If it’s only a folk etymology, whatever would the “real” etymology be?
It would be nice if it could be brought into connexion with the ivory shoulder, but I don’t see how that’s possible.
πελανος οψον ?
Do you know any suggested etymologies for Πέλοψ? Surely there must be scientific articles on this, but I couldn’t find any, nor do the etymological dictionaries have a Πέλοψ lemma.
How likely is it actually that Peloponnese is the “island of Pelops”? Isn’t that folk etymology? I thought that in the real world eponymic heroes generally get their names from places and not the other way round.
Is it possible that the mythological figure Pelops was invented to explain a pre-existing name for the geographical area–perhaps one deriving in part from a pre-Greek language?
I suspect that in some cases groupings of stars–constellations–gave rise to myths, rather than the other way around–for example, the Perseus/Andromeda/Cassiopeia/Cepheus group, or the Great Bear/Callisto myth.
Sounds plausible to me. I don’t know about sound laws, but if “island of pelops” makes sense linguistically I can accept that; only I would expect “pelops” to be something else originally than just the name of a hero.
I read somewhere that the “Bear” (which doesn’t really look anything like a bear) got that name because the Babylonian name (araqqu or something like that) sounded like Greek ἄρκτος.
I would expect “pelops” to be something else originally than just the name of a hero.
Yes, exactly. That was what I was suggesting.
Off topic, but some of the constellations actually do look like their names: Canis Major, Cygnus, Aquila, Corona Borealis .. .
Orion is another one that makes me suspect the myths were built around the constellation, rather than the other way around. Orion is very distinctive, with his belt and sword and the four bright stars that define his shoulders and knees, Betelgeuse, Bellatrix, Rigel and Saiph, and then there is his dog, Canis Major, and the hare he’s hunting, Lepus, under his feet. Even in a small telescope, the Orion Nebula (the second “star” in his sword) is a dazzling sight!