--- In
cybalist@yahoogroups.com, Rick McCallister <gabaroo6958@...> wrote:
> In terms of Egyptian, there were certainly loanwords such as
sphinx, pyramid, etc. but these combined with other AA loanwords seem
to be a very small percentage of Greek lexicon from what I've seen.
Correct me if I'm wrong.
******
Careful with your certainties!
Sphynxes were asking riddles and otherwise harassing Greek
travelers probably before they saw the statues in Egypt.
"Pyramis" may have had an Egyptian origin -- AHD says probably from
'pimar' (but doesn't favor us with translation thereof), whereas L&S
say "the derivation from Egypt. pr-m-wś 'the height of a pyramid' is
doubtful".
However, Greek 'pyramis" is also a kind of cake (of unknown shape).
The Greeks resolutely pretended not to be impressed by what they saw
in Egypt. 'Struthio' (= and > Eng. "ostrich") is literally "sparrow",
and "obelisk" is the diminutive of 'obelos' "skewer", so they might
well have called the pyramids "Little cakes".
Dan