Re: On Greek anthro:pos 'man'

--- In cybalist@yahoogroups.com, "Joao S. Lopes" wrote:

> [Greek kantharos 'beetle'] akin to Skt gandha- "smell", in a sense
> of stinky insect?

According to a number of philologists the Greek word kantharos has multiple meanings, among which are 'dung-beetle (Scarabaeus pilularius)', 'the Egyptian scarab beetle', and 'a sort of drinking-cup with two vertical handles and a deep, footed bowl'.Any direct connection between the 'beetle' and 'wine cup' meanings seems unlikely. However, both meanings of kantharos might be related to kantho:n and kanthe:lios, 'pack-ass'. The common factor linking kantharos as 'wine cup' with kantho:n 'ass' might be the typical high handles of the cup (called "ears" in Greek), similar to the ass's large ears. Likewise, between the dung-beetle (kantharos) and the ass (kantho:n) some sort of link runs, most probably mediated by the beetle's connection with dung (cf. also kanthis 'ass-dung'). In Aristophanes, Trygaeus, who rises to heaven on the back of a huge dung-beetle, addresses his mount as kantho:n ('ass'), and not as kantharos. According to an ancient Greek belief, beetles were produced from the bodies of asses. The error presumably arose from the beetle's alleged habit of laying eggs in asses' dung.

In the ultimate analysis, we are left with the Greek word kantho:n, itself of non-IE origin and, therefore, without an etymon.

As to the proposed comparison with Sanskrit gandha- 'smell' (RV), according to A. Lubotsky only the Proto-Indo-Iranian form of this root, *g(h)andh-/t- 'to smell', can be arrived at. The root has apparently no IE cognates. The vacillation dh/t in the PIIr. root (cf. RV gandh- vs. YAv. gain.ti- 'bad smell', an irregular correspondence in inlaut) strongly suggests borrowing -- perhaps from the language(s) of Bactria-Margiana?

Kindest regards,
Francesco