Eclipses

Question

Is the word eclipse a latin or greek one? If so what might be its plural in that lingo?

Usenet · Accepted Answer

[nq:1]Is the word eclipse a latin or greek one? If so what might be its plural in that lingo?[/nq]
I am sure you can find its etymology in any online dictionary. As to the plural of the English word, of course, it has the English plural sign "s".

Usenet · Answer

[nq:2]Is the word eclipse a latin or greek one? If so what might be its plural in that lingo?[/nq]
[nq:1]I am sure you can find its etymology in any online dictionary.[/nq]
Lots of online dictionaries omit etymological information. There is an Online Etymological Dictionary (that's its name) available at:

http://www.etymonline.com/index.php
It says "eclipse" comes from Greek via Latin via Old French.
[nq:1]As to the plural of the English word, of course, it has the English plural sign "s".[/nq]
That doesn't answer the question asked. I don't know the answer actually answers, it doeth appear either.

Bob Lieblich
And what's an eClipse?

Usenet · Answer

Well he could try asking on Latin or ancient Greek language groups. Then again he could try the plural ending of each.

Usenet · Answer

[nq:2]I am sure you can find its etymology in any online dictionary.[/nq]
[nq:1]Lots of online dictionaries omit etymological information. There is an Online Etymological Dictionary (that's its name) available at: http://www.etymonline.com/index.php[/nq]
As it says in the dictionary cited, the original is Greek "ekleipsis", a leaving out, quitting (of the sky by the sun or moon). I believe the nominative plural would be "ekleipeis"; but you can't use it in English, because the singular form, "eclipse" isn't identical to the Greek singular (and, anyway, who would know what you were talking about?)
I think you can use the Latin plural, though. It's not in my dictionary, but I expect it would be "eclipses"(with a long "e"), on the analogy of "ellipses", both of which happen to be spelled the same as the respective English plurals.

Usenet · Answer

[nq:1]Is the word eclipse a latin or greek one? If so what might be its plural in that lingo?[/nq]
"Eclipse" is an English word, and its plural is "eclipses". It is derived from an Old French word, "esclipse", giving the modern French "éclipse".
That Old French word is from a Latin word, "eclipsis"(1), which is from a Greek word, "ekleipsis"(2). Since you don't use either the Latin or Greek singular, it would be really silly for you to use the Latin or Greek plural. You might as well ask whether the PIE root *leik (Watkins) or *leiq (Skeat) has a plural substantive form.

Just as a matter of curiosity, why the **** haven't you learned how to use a dictionary yet?
(1) But the common Latin term for solar and lunar eclipses is "defectiones solis et lunae."
(2) Used for an eclipse, but with a more common meaning of "abandonment." In any case, it is a "failure" or "leaving out." Note the similarity to "ellipsis", which is also a "falling short" or "leaving out".

Usenet · Answer

The only word I have seen for "eclipse" in Greek (on about 3 dictionary sites including COED) indicated the original as a verb form. No noun form was supplied. Now if you or anyone who knows Greek could give a transitional nouned verb, with the plural noun ending, (or even the original Greek noun, which appears never to have existed) I will accept your complaint as legit. But the answer is beyond my poor powers to deduce.
The next answer might be a simple translation of the English noun into some dialect or other of modern Greek, providing the Greek plural (noun) ending. Any takers?
Otherwise, Weatherlawyer, in posing his question should have indicated that he wanted the English verb usage with a plural subject (they eclipse) or a single subject ( it eclipses), which last word corresponds to the English plural noun. You can look up the spelling of the original (supposed) Greek root. I think that amongst the other letters, I see an "n" ending, but it is Greek to me, so I don't know if it sounds like an "n" in English, and I assume it is a verbal ending. I don't care to research it a second time.

Usenet · Answer

[nq:1]Just as a matter of curiosity, why the **** haven't you learned how to use a dictionary yet?[/nq]
On a passing whim? That might urge and delight so many who otherwise would be about their petty lives debating the rights and wrongs of terms of meridian? I couldn't possibly do that to you.

Mark Twain said never run after an hat blown off by the wind. Some other fool will fetch it back for you if you just walk. See how much pleasure I have brought you by allowing you to vent?

Good old Weatherlawyer.
Him and his eclipae. (Or was it eclipsis?)

Usenet · Answer

"Martin Ambuhl" (Email Removed) schrieb im Newsbeitrag
[nq:2]Is the word eclipse a latin or greek one? If so what might be its plural in that lingo?[/nq]
[nq:1]"Eclipse" is an English word, and its plural is "eclipses". It is derived from an Old French word, "esclipse", giving ... is a "failure" or "leaving out." Note the similarity to "ellipsis", which is also a "falling short" or "leaving out".[/nq]
I'd like to suggest another approach to finding the plural form, i.e. to find out how "eclipse" as a word of Latin/Greek Origin has been amalgamated into the spoken language. The pronunciation is i-'klips. Since the e-ending has been dropped by the OFrench already and English speakers haven't picked it up again, the English plural "s" seems to be most appropriate, even in a scholarly environment.

As seems to be the rule in linguistics, there is no easy rule how words of classical origin are treated in modern spelling and pronounciation when you slide from declination by endings to other methods of case formation. As an example, compare "epitome" and "epitope".

Klaus Lehment

Usenet · Answer

[nq:1]The only word I have seen for "eclipse" in Greek (on about 3 dictionary sites including COED) indicated the original ... to have existed) I will accept your complaint as legit. But the answer is beyond my poor powers to deduce.[/nq]
The verb is "ekleípein", to leave out, to abandon, or (of the sun) to be eclipsed. In that use it is short for "ekleípein tÈn ek toû ouranoû hédrEn" (where "E"stands for eta, long "e"), to abandon its seat in the heavens. The same dictionary that provides that information, the abridged version of Liddell and Scott's Greek-English Lexicon , gives the noun that I posted before. With the tonal accent, it would be "ékleipsis".
[nq:1]The next answer might be a simple translation of the English noun into some dialect or other of modern Greek, providing the Greek plural (noun) ending. Any takers?[/nq]
The noun exists in ancient and in modern Greek, and the English version is borrowed from Greek; so there's no need to translate it back into any kind of Greek from English.
[nq:1]Otherwise, Weatherlawyer, in posing his question should have indicated that he wanted the English verb usage with a plural subject (they eclipse) or a single subject ( it eclipses), which last word corresponds to the English plural noun.[/nq]
This is true only in English. There is no correspondence in ancient Greek between the third-person singular form of the verb and any plural form of the noun. I'm pretty sure W. wanted the plural form of the noun, because there is no custom in English of the learnèd use of different verb-forms, as there is of the use of the original plurals for nouns borrowed from the "classical" languages (Latin, Greek, and Hebrew). As I pointed out, the custom is to do this only when there is a letter-for-letter correspondence in the singular between the English form and the Latin or (adjusted to Roman letters) Greek or Hebrew form; you can't do it here (with Greek), because the English is"eclipse", not "eclipsis".
[nq:1]You can look up the spelling of the original (supposed) Greek root. I think that amongst the other letters, I ... "n" in English, and I assume it is a verbal ending. I don't care to research it a second time.[/nq]
The infinitive of ancient Greek verbs ends in "n", just like that of verbs in Old English: not entirely a coincidence.

Usenet · Answer

[nq:2]The only word I have seen for "eclipse" in Greek ... But the answer is beyond my poor powers to deduce.[/nq]
[nq:1]The verb is "ekleípein", to leave out, to abandon, or (of the sun) to be eclipsed. In that use it ... and Scott's Greek-English Lexicon , gives the noun that I posted before. With the tonal accent, it would be "ékleipsis".[/nq]
Maybe this discusson has occurred before in AUE or AEU, but I don't recall seeing your replies in this thread or in any other (about eclipse).
Glad you could provide the answers for Weatherlawyer. I am not one who believes there should be a letter-for-letter correspondence.

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