Question on how to coin a truth predicat from Greek

[bjorda...@gmail.com]

I want to coin a word like "verificator" from the Greek word aletheia for truth. I have tried to get ideas from http://www.lexilogos.com/english/greek_ancient_dictionary.htm, but did not succeed.

Could someone help me, please?

[bjorda...@gmail.com]

Thank you for the alethometer, Peter Ross! Would the more succinct alethor be acceptable, or would the philological Gods forbid?

kl. 19:00:48 UTC+1 mandag 28. januar 2013 skrev Peter J Ross følgende:
> In humanities.classics on Mon, 28 Jan 2013 08:35:45 -0800 (PST),

>
> bjorda...@gmail.com <bjorda...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
>
>
> > I want to coin a word like "verificator" from the Greek word
>
> > aletheia for truth.
>
>
>

> The root you want is "alethos" ("true"), not "aletheia" ("truth").
>
>
>
> So in English your word would start with "aletho-", not "aletheio-",
>
> unles you're Philip Pullmann, whose coinage of "aletheiometer" made me
>
> wince; "alethometer" would be correct.

>
>
>
> > I have tried to get ideas from
>
> > http://www.lexilogos.com/english/greek_ancient_dictionary.htm, but
>
> > did not succeed.
>
> >
>
> > Could someone help me, please?
>
>
>

> Your Latin word presumably means something like "one who makes the
>
> truth", with an implication of testing until the truth is "made" by
>
> being discovered. It's not an English word in common use, and I'm
>
> guessing at its meaning from the Old-French-derived word
>
> "verification".
>
>
>
> I could invent for you a Greek word like ἀληθοποιητής
>
> ("alethopoietes"), which is constructed the same way as the Latin
>
> word, but I think to an Ancient Greek it would mean something more
>
> like "a truthful maker". Greek verbs of making and doing are slippery.
>
>
>
> If you want something that merely means "one who does/says/approves of
>
> the truth", try
>
> Alethizer (American/British spelling)
>
> Alethiser (British-only spelling)
>
> from the genuine Greek verb ἀληθίζομαι, "I speak the truth".
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> --
>
> PJR :-) | οἵη περ φύλλων γενεὴ, τοίη δὲ καὶ ἀνδρῶν.
>
> | φύλλα τὰ μέν τ' ἄνεμος χαμάδις χέει, ἄλλα δέ θ' ὕλη
>
> | τηλεθόωσα φύει, ἔαρος δ' ἐπιγίγνεται ὥρη·
>
> | ὣς ἀνδρῶν γενεὴ ἡ μὲν φύει ἡ δ' ἀπολήγει. (Homer)

[Ed Cryer]

Peter J Ross wrote:
> In humanities.classics on Mon, 28 Jan 2013 08:35:45 -0800 (PST),
> bjorda...@gmail.com <bjorda...@gmail.com> wrote:
>

>> I want to coin a word like "verificator" from the Greek word
>> aletheia for truth.
>

> The root you want is "alethos" ("true"), not "aletheia" ("truth").
>
> So in English your word would start with "aletho-", not "aletheio-",
> unles you're Philip Pullmann, whose coinage of "aletheiometer" made me
> wince; "alethometer" would be correct.
>

>> I have tried to get ideas from
>> http://www.lexilogos.com/english/greek_ancient_dictionary.htm, but
>> did not succeed.
>>
>> Could someone help me, please?
>

> Your Latin word presumably means something like "one who makes the
> truth", with an implication of testing until the truth is "made" by
> being discovered. It's not an English word in common use, and I'm
> guessing at its meaning from the Old-French-derived word
> "verification".
>
> I could invent for you a Greek word like ἀληθοποιητής
> ("alethopoietes"), which is constructed the same way as the Latin
> word, but I think to an Ancient Greek it would mean something more
> like "a truthful maker". Greek verbs of making and doing are slippery.
>
> If you want something that merely means "one who does/says/approves of
> the truth", try
> Alethizer (American/British spelling)
> Alethiser (British-only spelling)
> from the genuine Greek verb ἀληθίζομαι, "I speak the truth".
>
>
>

While looking in the dictionary for "ἀληθo" compounds, I came across
this line from Aeschylus' Agamemnon;
ἄγαν γ' ἀληθόμαντιν οἰκτίρας ἐρεῖς.
(Cassandra to the Chorus)

I guess "ἀληθόμαντις" is "prophet of truth".

Ed

[bjorda...@gmail.com]

I decided upon alethizor, then. Thanks!

[Rich Alderson]

bjorda...@gmail.com writes:

> Thank you for the alethometer, Peter Ross! Would the more succinct alethor
> be acceptable, or would the philological Gods forbid?

They would, indeed. The agentive suffix is -tor- (with vowel lengthening in
the nominative); apparent exceptions are due to historical developments such
as *-tt- > -ss-. (Borne out by the evidence from Latin and Sanskrit, among
others.)

--
Rich Alderson ne...@alderson.users.panix.com
the russet leaves of an autumn oak/inspire once again the failed poet/
to take up his pen/and essay to place his meagre words upon the page...

[bjorda...@gmail.com]

kl. 02:39:51 UTC+1 tirsdag 29. januar 2013 skrev Rich Alderson følgende:
> bjorda...@gmail.com writes:
>
>
>
> > Thank you for the alethometer, Peter Ross! Would the more succinct alethor
>
> > be acceptable, or would the philological Gods forbid?
>
>
>
> They would, indeed. The agentive suffix is -tor- (with vowel lengthening in
>
> the nominative); apparent exceptions are due to historical developments such
>
> as *-tt- > -ss-. (Borne out by the evidence from Latin and Sanskrit, among
>
> others.)
>
>
>
> --
>
> Rich Alderson

I decided upon alethizor, varying slightly upon the suggestion alethizer by Peter J Ross.

Frode Bjørdal