V. 2 (2025)
Léxeis

Greek μέλπω ‘dance and sing’ and Slavic *mlьčati ‘be silent’

Daniel Kölligan
Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg

Pubblicato 2026-01-07

Parole chiave

  • Greek,
  • Slavic,
  • etymology,
  • antiquity,
  • worship

Abstract

It is argued that Greek μέλπω ‘to celebrate a deity (with singing and dancing)’ originally
meant ‘to appease a deity’ and is cognate with Slavic *mьlčàti ‘to be(-come)
silent’ < *‘to be appeased’.