Difference between revisions of "-port- (etymology)"
PeterWilson (Talk | contribs) (New page: Several English words include the element '''-port-'''. These can confuse non-native learners at times, and their history may be interesting to native speakers; so some notes are given her...) |
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Three [[Latin]] [[etymological root|root]]s (two linked) contribute to many of these. ''PortÄre'' means 'to carry, bring' (cf French ''porter''), and is the most productive root. ''Porta'' means a 'door, gate[way]', and, like ''portus'', a 'harbour, haven or port', is derived from an older root ''por'', meaning 'to pierce'. | Three [[Latin]] [[etymological root|root]]s (two linked) contribute to many of these. ''PortÄre'' means 'to carry, bring' (cf French ''porter''), and is the most productive root. ''Porta'' means a 'door, gate[way]', and, like ''portus'', a 'harbour, haven or port', is derived from an older root ''por'', meaning 'to pierce'. | ||
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| + | There is a Greek verb ''phero'' (φÎÏω), meaning: to bear, carry convey, suffer, endure, produce, i.e., virtually the same meanings as ''fero''. Like ''fero'', it is a defective verb with forms only for the present and imperfect - ''oiso'' (’οίσω) is used for the future, and ''enenka'' (’ηνεγκα) for the aorist. It regularly produces adjectives with the -''phoros'' (-φόÏος) suffix, such as ''nosephoros'' (νοσηφόÏος, disease-bringing), ''thanatophoros'' (θανατοφόÏος) or ''thanatephoros'' (θανατηφόÏος, death-bringing) and ''hupnophoros''(‘υπνοφόÏος, sleep-bringing). So although ''Christophoros'' doesn't appear in Liddell and Scott, it is well-formed. | ||
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Revision as of 15:13, 20 September 2009
Several English words include the element -port-. These can confuse non-native learners at times, and their history may be interesting to native speakers; so some notes are given here.
Three Latin roots (two linked) contribute to many of these. PortÄre means 'to carry, bring' (cf French porter), and is the most productive root. Porta means a 'door, gate[way]', and, like portus, a 'harbour, haven or port', is derived from an older root por, meaning 'to pierce'.
There is a Greek verb phero (φÎÏω), meaning: to bear, carry convey, suffer, endure, produce, i.e., virtually the same meanings as fero. Like fero, it is a defective verb with forms only for the present and imperfect - oiso (’οίσω) is used for the future, and enenka (’ηνεγκα) for the aorist. It regularly produces adjectives with the -phoros (-φόÏος) suffix, such as nosephoros (νοσηφόÏος, disease-bringing), thanatophoros (θανατοφόÏος) or thanatephoros (θανατηφόÏος, death-bringing) and hupnophoros(‘υπνοφόÏος, sleep-bringing). So although Christophoros doesn't appear in Liddell and Scott, it is well-formed.
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