ἐσχάρα

Ancient Greek

Alternative forms

• ἐσχάρη (eskhárē) — Epic, Ionic

Etymology

Beekes points out the absence of cognates in other Indo-European languages and considers the word to be of Pre-Greek origin.

Some have pointed out the similarity to Gothic 𐌰𐌶𐌲𐍉 (azgō), itself derived from Proto-Indo-European *h₂eHs- (“to dry, burn, glow; hearth, ashes”), or a combination of this root and *dʰegʷʰ- (“to burn”). The root *h₂eHs- is known for its enlargements, be they dental or velar, as in Ancient Greek ἄζω (ázō) and ἄσβολος (ásbolos).

According to Gamkrelidze / Ivanov, a Kartvelian borrowing. Compare Proto-Kartvelian *c₁x- (“burn, give off heat”), whence Georgian სიცხე (sicxe), Mingrelian ჩხე (čxe), Laz ჩხე (çxe) and Svan root შხ- (šx-, “burn, set fire”). The initial ἐ- (e-) of the Greek form is a prothetic vowel.

Parvulescu relates Ancient Greek χαρά (khará), thus *"[offering] in [sign of] gratitude", replacing ἑστίᾱ (hestíā, “fireplace, altar”) in Homer.

Pronunciation

 

• IPA^(key): /es.kʰá.raː/ → /esˈxa.ra/ → /esˈxa.ra/

• (5^th BCE Attic) IPA^(key): /es.kʰá.raː/
• (1^st CE Egyptian) IPA^(key): /esˈkʰa.ra/
• (4^th CE Koine) IPA^(key): /esˈxa.ra/
• (10^th CE Byzantine) IPA^(key): /esˈxa.ra/
• (15^th CE Constantinopolitan) IPA^(key): /esˈxa.ra/

Noun

ἐσχάρᾱ • (eskhárā) f (genitive ἐσχάρᾱς); first declension

1. hearth
   1. sacrificing hearth
      • 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Odyssey 14.418–420:

        ὣς ἄρα φωνήσας κέασε ξύλα νηλέϊ χαλκῷ· οἱ δ' ὗν εἰσῆγον μάλα πίονα πενταέτηρον. τὸν μὲν ἔπειτ' ἔστησαν ἐπ' ἐσχάρῃ [...]

        hṑs ára phōnḗsas kéase xúla nēléï khalkôi; hoi d' hûn eisêgon mála píona pentaétēron. tòn mèn épeit' éstēsan ep' eskhárēi [...]

        • 1900 translation by Samuel Butler

          On this he began chopping firewood, while the others brought in a fine fat five year old boar pig, and set it at the altar.

2. house
3. (figuratively) platform, stand

Inflection

First declension of ἡ ἐσχάρᾱ; τῆς ἐσχάρᾱς (Attic)

Case / #	Singular	Dual	Plural
Nominative	ἡ ἐσχάρᾱ hē eskhárā	τὼ ἐσχάρᾱ tṑ eskhárā	αἱ ἐσχάραι hai eskhárai
Genitive	τῆς ἐσχάρᾱς tês eskhárās	τοῖν ἐσχάραιν toîn eskhárain	τῶν ἐσχαρῶν tôn eskharôn
Dative	τῇ ἐσχάρᾳ têi eskhárāi	τοῖν ἐσχάραιν toîn eskhárain	ταῖς ἐσχάραις taîs eskhárais
Accusative	τὴν ἐσχάρᾱν tḕn eskhárān	τὼ ἐσχάρᾱ tṑ eskhárā	τᾱ̀ς ἐσχάρᾱς tā̀s eskhárās
Vocative	ἐσχάρᾱ eskhárā	ἐσχάρᾱ eskhárā	ἐσχάραι eskhárai
Notes:	This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For declension in other dialects, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal declension.

Derived terms

• ἐσχάριον (eskhárion)

Descendants

• French: eschare
• Latin: eschara