λαγαίω

Ancient Greek

Etymology

Disputed. Possibly related to Ancient Greek λᾰγγᾰ́ζω (lăngắzō) and perhaps to the Hesychian gloss λαγάσσαι (lagássai)

The linguist Lucien van Beek argues that the term was probably modeled after the aorist form, which itself—according to van Beek—may have derived from the remodeling of a thematic aorist *λαγεῖν (*lageîn) by the analogy of terms such as χαλάσαι (khalásai). Van Beek suggests that this thematic aorist was inherited from an older root aorist that itself originated from an older root aorist Proto-Indo-European *sl̥g-. According to this theory, the term derives from Proto-Indo-European *selǵ-.
The term may be derived from Proto-Indo-European *(s)leg-. Beekes suggests that the term is likely an innovation formed from a term *λαγος (*lagos), itself from Proto-Indo-European *slago-, whence also Old Norse slakr. However, argues that these connections would entail a reconstruction *slh₂g-, which—according to Beekes—would produce *λᾱγ- (*lāg-), not *λαγ- (*lag-). Beekes suggests that this discrepancy allows for the possibility of Pre-Greek origin.

Pronunciation

(5^th BCE Attic) IPA^(key): /la.ɡǎi̯.ɔː/
(1^st CE Egyptian) IPA^(key): /laˈɡɛ.o/
(4^th CE Koine) IPA^(key): /laˈʝɛ.o/
(10^th CE Byzantine) IPA^(key): /laˈʝe.o/
(15^th CE Constantinopolitan) IPA^(key): /laˈʝe.o/

Verb

λᾰγαίω • (lăgaíō)

to release, let go, free
- c. 5th-century BCE, Gortyn code, published in Inscriptiones Creticae 4.72:
  αἰ [δέ] κα με̄̀ [λαγ]άσει, καταδικαδδέτο̄ το̄̑μὲν ἐλευθέρο̄ στατε̑̄ρα, το͂ δο̄́λο̄ [δα]ρκνὰν τᾶς ἀμέρας ϝεκάστας, πρίν κα λαγάσει· το͂ δὲ κρόνο̄ τὸν δι[κ]αστὰν ὀμνύντα κρίνεν
  ai [dé] ka mḕ [lag]ásei, katadikaddétō tō̑mèn eleuthérō statȇ̄ra, tô dṓlō [da]rknàn tâs améras wekástas, prín ka lagásei; tô dè krónō tòn di[k]astàn omnúnta krínen
  (please add an English translation of this quotation)

Usage notes

The forms λαγάσει (lagásei) and λαγάσαι (lagásai) have also been assigned to a lemma form *λαγαζω (*lagazō). Regardless, the attested infinitive form λαγαίεν (lagaíen) suggests the existence of a lemma form λαγαίω (lagaíō).

Conjugation

Present: λαγαίω, λαγαίομαι

number		singular			dual		plural
		first	second	third	second	third	first	second	third
active	indicative	λαγαίω	λαγαίεις	λαγαίει	λαγαίετον	λαγαίετον	λαγαίομεν	λαγαίετε	λαγαίουσῐ(ν)
	subjunctive	λαγαίω	λαγαίῃς	λαγαίῃ	λαγαίητον	λαγαίητον	λαγαίωμεν	λαγαίητε	λαγαίωσῐ(ν)
	optative	λαγαίοιμῐ	λαγαίοις	λαγαίοι	λαγαίοιτον	λαγαιοίτην	λαγαίοιμεν	λαγαίοιτε	λαγαίοιεν
	imperative		λάγαιε	λαγαιέτω	λαγαίετον	λαγαιέτων		λαγαίετε	λαγαιόντων
middle/ passive	indicative	λαγαίομαι	λαγαίῃ / λαγαίει	λαγαίεται	λαγαίεσθον	λαγαίεσθον	λαγαιόμεθᾰ	λαγαίεσθε	λαγαίονται
	subjunctive	λαγαίωμαι	λαγαίῃ	λαγαίηται	λαγαίησθον	λαγαίησθον	λαγαιώμεθᾰ	λαγαίησθε	λαγαίωνται
	optative	λαγαιοίμην	λαγαίοιο	λαγαίοιτο	λαγαίοισθον	λαγαιοίσθην	λαγαιοίμεθᾰ	λαγαίοισθε	λαγαίοιντο
	imperative		λαγαίου	λαγαιέσθω	λαγαίεσθον	λαγαιέσθων		λαγαίεσθε	λαγαιέσθων
		active				middle/passive
infinitive		λαγαίειν				λαγαίεσθαι
participle	m	λαγαίων				λαγαιόμενος
	f	λαγαίουσᾰ				λαγαιομένη
	n	λαγαῖον				λαγαιόμενον
Notes:	This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For conjugation in dialects other than Attic, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal conjugation.

Imperfect: ἐλάγαιον, ἐλαγαιόμην

number		singular			dual		plural
		first	second	third	second	third	first	second	third
active	indicative	ἐλάγαιον	ἐλάγαιες	ἐλάγαιε(ν)	ἐλαγαίετον	ἐλαγαιέτην	ἐλαγαίομεν	ἐλαγαίετε	ἐλάγαιον
middle/ passive	indicative	ἐλαγαιόμην	ἐλαγαίου	ἐλαγαίετο	ἐλαγαίεσθον	ἐλαγαιέσθην	ἐλαγαιόμεθᾰ	ἐλαγαίεσθε	ἐλαγαίοντο
Notes:	This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For conjugation in dialects other than Attic, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal conjugation.

Aorist: ἐλάγασᾰ, ἐλαγασᾰ́μην

number		singular			dual		plural
		first	second	third	second	third	first	second	third
active	indicative	ἐλάγασᾰ	ἐλάγασᾰς	ἐλάγασε(ν)	ἐλαγάσᾰτον	ἐλαγασᾰ́την	ἐλαγάσᾰμεν	ἐλαγάσᾰτε	ἐλάγασᾰν
	subjunctive	λαγάσω	λαγάσῃς	λαγάσῃ	λαγάσητον	λαγάσητον	λαγάσωμεν	λαγάσητε	λαγάσωσῐ(ν)
	optative	λαγάσαιμῐ	λαγάσειᾰς / λαγάσαις	λαγάσειε(ν) / λαγάσαι	λαγάσαιτον	λαγασαίτην	λαγάσαιμεν	λαγάσαιτε	λαγάσειᾰν / λαγάσαιεν
	imperative		λάγασον	λαγασᾰ́τω	λαγάσᾰτον	λαγασᾰ́των		λαγάσᾰτε	λαγασᾰ́ντων
middle	indicative	ἐλαγασᾰ́μην	ἐλαγάσω	ἐλαγάσᾰτο	ἐλαγάσᾰσθον	ἐλαγασᾰ́σθην	ἐλαγασᾰ́μεθᾰ	ἐλαγάσᾰσθε	ἐλαγάσᾰντο
	subjunctive	λαγάσωμαι	λαγάσῃ	λαγάσηται	λαγάσησθον	λαγάσησθον	λαγασώμεθᾰ	λαγάσησθε	λαγάσωνται
	optative	λαγασαίμην	λαγάσαιο	λαγάσαιτο	λαγάσαισθον	λαγασαίσθην	λαγασαίμεθᾰ	λαγάσαισθε	λαγάσαιντο
	imperative		λάγασαι	λαγασᾰ́σθω	λαγάσᾰσθον	λαγασᾰ́σθων		λαγάσᾰσθε	λαγασᾰ́σθων
		active			middle
infinitive		λαγᾶσαι			λαγάσᾰσθαι
participle	m	λαγάσᾱς			λαγασᾰ́μενος
	f	λαγάσᾱσᾰ			λαγασᾰμένη
	n	λαγᾶσᾰν			λαγασᾰ́μενον
Notes:	This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For conjugation in dialects other than Attic, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal conjugation.

Derived terms

ἀπολαγαίω (apolagaíō)

References

“λαγαίω”, in Liddell & Scott (1940), A Greek–English Lexicon, Oxford: Clarendon Press
λαγαίω, in ΛΟΓΕΙΟΝ [Logeion] Dictionaries for Ancient Greek and Latin (in English, French, Spanish, German, Dutch and Chinese), University of Chicago, since 2011
Beekes, Robert S. P. (2010), Etymological Dictionary of Greek (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 10), with the assistance of Lucien van Beek, Leiden, Boston: Brill, →ISBN, pages 819-820
Helen M. Searles (1890), “A Lexicographical Study of Greek Inscriptions”, in Studies in Classical Philology‎^[1], The University of Chicago Press, page 61
Lucien van Beek (2018), “Ἄτλας ἀστεμφής: Traces of local particles in Greek compounds and the origins of intensive alpha”, in Glotta‎^[2], volume 94, →ISSN, pages 38–81
Rix, Helmut, editor (2001), Lexikon der indogermanischen Verben [Lexicon of Indo-European Verbs] (in German), 2nd edition, Wiesbaden: Dr. Ludwig Reichert Verlag, →ISBN, page 529