hellog〜英語史ブログ / 2019-06-11

■ #3697. 印欧語根 *spek- に由来する英単語を探る [etymology][indo-european][latin][greek][metathesis][word_family][lexicology]

　昨日の記事「#3696. ボキャビルのための「最も役に立つ25の語のパーツ」」 ([2019-06-10-1]) で取り上げたなかでも最上位に挙げられている spec(t) という連結形 (combining_form) について，今回はさらに詳しくみてみよう．
　この連結形は印欧語根 *spek- にさかのぼる．『英語語源辞典』の巻末にある「印欧語根表」より，この項を引用しよう．

spek- to observe. 《Gmc》［その他］ espionage, spy. 《L》 aspect, auspice, conspicuous, despicable, despise, especial, expect, frontispiece, haruspex, inspect, perspective, prospect, respect, respite, species, specimen, specious, spectacle, speculate, suspect. 《Gk》 bishop, episcopal, horoscope, sceptic, scope, -scope, -scopy, telescope.

　また，語源の取り扱いの詳しい The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language の巻末には，"Indo-European Roots" なる小辞典が付随している．この小辞典から spek- の項目を再現すると，次のようになる．

spek- To observe. Oldest form *spek̂-, becoming *spek- in centum languages.
▲ Derivatives include espionage, spectrum, despise, suspect, despicable, bishop, and telescope.
   I. Basic form *spek-. 1a. ESPY, SPY, from Old French espier, to watch; b. ESPIONAGE, from Old Italian spione, spy, from Germanic derivative *speh-ōn-, watcher. Both a and b from Germanic *spehōn. 2. Suffixed form *spek-yo-, SPECIMEN, SPECTACLE, SPECTRUM, SPECULATE, SPECULUM, SPICE; ASPECT, CIRCUMSPECT, CONSPICUOUS, DESPISE, EXPECT, FRONTISPIECE, INSPECT, INTROSPECT, PERSPECTIVE, PERSPICACIOUS, PROSPECT, RESPECT, RESPITE, RETROSPECT, SPIEGELEISEN, SUSPECT, TRANSPICUOUS, from Latin specere, to look at. 3. SPECIES, SPECIOUS; ESPECIAL, from Latin speciēs, a seeing, sight, form. 4. Suffixed form *spek-s, "he who sees," in Latin compounds. a. Latin haruspex . . . ; b. Latin auspex . . . . 5. Suffixed form *spek-ā-. DESPICABLE, from Latin (denominative) dēspicārī, to despise, look down on (dē-), down . . .). 6. Suffixed metathetical form *skep-yo-. SKEPTIC, from Greek skeptesthai, to examine, consider.
   II. Extended o-grade form *spoko-. SCOPE, -SCOPE, -SCOPY; BISHOP, EPISCOPAL, HOROSCOPE, TELESCOPE, from metathesized Greek skopos, on who watches, also object of attention, goal, and its denominative skopein (< *skop-eyo-), to see. . . .

　2つの辞典を紹介したが，語源を活用した（超）上級者向け英語ボキャビルのためのレファレンスとしてどうぞ．

　・ 寺澤 芳雄（編）　『英語語源辞典』　研究社，1997年．
　・ The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language. 4th ed. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 2006.

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