τυγχάνω

Ancient Greek

Etymology

From Proto-Hellenic *tʰunkʰanō, from the nasal-infixed present *dʰu-n-gʰ- of Proto-Indo-European *dʰewgʰ- (to hit, produce, yield), whence also τεύχω (teúkhō, produce).[1]

The present stem τῠγχᾰ́νω (tŭnkhắnō) is a zero-grade form of the root with nasal infix and nasal suffix, like λᾰμβᾰ́νω (lămbắnō, to take) and λᾰνθᾰ́νω (lănthắnō, to do secretly). The aorist stem ἔτῠχον (étŭkhon) is zero-grade with no suffix, and ἐτῠ́χησᾰ (etŭ́khēsă), and τετῠ́χηκᾰ (tetŭ́khēkă) are zero-grade with regular first-aorist and perfect suffixes. The future τεύξομαι (teúxomai) and perfect τέτευχᾰ (téteukhă) and τέτευγμαι (téteugmai) are e-grade. Related to τεύχω (teúkhō), which is from a different present stem and with which it shares some forms.

Pronunciation

 

Verb

τῠγχᾰ́νω • (tŭnkhắnō)

  1. Expressing coincidence: to happen (to be)
    1. (of events) to happen, occur [with dative ‘to someone’]
    2. (of a person) to happen [with participle ‘to do something’]
      • 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Odyssey 14.334–335:
        τύχησε γὰρ ἐρχομένη νηῦς
        ἀνδρῶν Θεσπρωτῶν ἐς Δουλίχιον πολύπῡρον.
        túkhēse gàr erkhoménē nēûs
        andrôn Thesprōtôn es Doulíkhion polúpūron.
        For a ship belonging to Thesprotian men happened to be going to Dulichium rich in grain.
  2. to succeed [with participle or infinitive ‘at doing’]; to go successfully
    Antonym: ᾰ̔μᾰρτᾰ́νω (hămărtắnō)
    1. to hit a target [with genitive]
    2. to meet someone [with genitive]
    3. to get or attain something [with genitive]

Usage notes

  • The passive aorist form ἐτεύχθην (eteúkhthēn) is attested in compounds.
  • The Epic second aorist subjunctive forms τῠ́χωμῐ (tŭ́khōmĭ) and τῠ́χῃσῐ (tŭ́khēisĭ) are attested. The later subjunctive Epic form τετῠ́χῃσῐ (tetŭ́khēisĭ) and the optative form τετῠ́χοιεν (tetŭ́khoien) are also attested. Another present infinitive form, τῠγχᾰνέμεν (tŭnkhănémen), also survives in Ancient Greek literature.
  • The Epic and Ionic future form τεύξεαι (teúxeai) is attested. The Ionic perfect form ἐτετεύχεε (eteteúkhee) is also attested.
  • The Doric aorist participle τῠχοῖσᾰ (tŭkhoîsă) and perfect form τετεύχεν (teteúkhen) are attested.

Inflection

Derived terms

  • ᾰ̓ντῐτῠγχᾰ́νω (ăntĭtŭnkhắnō)
  • ᾰ̓ποτῠγχᾰ́νω (ăpotŭnkhắnō)
  • δῐᾰτῠγχᾰ́νω (dĭătŭnkhắnō)
  • ἐντῠγχᾰ́νω (entŭnkhắnō)
  • ἐπῐτῠγχᾰ́νω (epĭtŭnkhắnō)
  • κᾰτᾰτῠγχᾰ́νω (kătătŭnkhắnō)
  • κᾰτεντῠγχᾰ́νω (kătentŭnkhắnō)
  • πᾰρᾰτῠγχᾰ́νω (părătŭnkhắnō)
  • πᾰρεντῠγχᾰ́νω (părentŭnkhắnō)
  • περῐτῠγχᾰ́νω (perĭtŭnkhắnō)
  • προᾰποτῠγχᾰ́νω (proăpotŭnkhắnō)
  • προεντῠγχᾰ́νω (proentŭnkhắnō)
  • προσεντῠγχᾰ́νω (prosentŭnkhắnō)
  • προσεπῐτῠγχᾰ́νω (prosepĭtŭnkhắnō)
  • προστῠγχᾰ́νω (prostŭnkhắnō)
  • προτῠγχᾰ́νω (protŭnkhắnō)
  • σῠμπᾰρᾰτῠγχᾰ́νω (sŭmpărătŭnkhắnō)
  • σῠμπερῐτῠγχᾰ́νω (sŭmperĭtŭnkhắnō)
  • σῠντῠγχᾰ́νω (sŭntŭnkhắnō)
  • ῠ̔περεντῠγχᾰ́νω (hŭperentŭnkhắnō)
  • ῠ̔ποτῠγχᾰ́νω (hŭpotŭnkhắnō)

Descendants

  • Greek: τυχαίνω (tychaíno)

References

  1. ^ Beekes, Robert S. P. (2010), “τυγχάνω”, in Etymological Dictionary of Greek (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 10), with the assistance of Lucien van Beek, Leiden, Boston: Brill, →ISBN, pages 1515-6

Further reading