Re: [tied] Cyriaca

It most likely derives from the Greek adjective kuriakó- 'of the Lord', from <kurios>, elliptic for "the house of the lord" (<kuriakón> is attested with this meaning). The Germanic forms go back to something like *kiri:k-o:n- ~ -jo:n- (Gk. u was a front vowel) with weak f. endings (OE cirice ~ cyrce, OHG chirîhha, OS kirika, ON kirkja > Northern English kirk). The word was further borrowed from Germanic sources by the Slavs and the Finns.

Piotr

----- Original Message -----
From: g-tegle@...

To: cybalist@yahoogroups.com

Sent: Friday, April 13, 2001 3:27 AM

Subject: [tied] Cyriaca

Does anyone in the forum know the origin of the Germanic words for church? In another discussion group, someone told of a theory that they are borrowings from an unattested Latin form Cyriaca. This form was preferred over circus because it would explain the feminine gender of the Germanic forms.