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4 - How were Latin words integrated into Greek? Spelling and inflection

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  25 May 2023

Eleanor Dickey
Affiliation:
University of Reading
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Summary

Latin loanwords (and codeswitches) were normally written in the Greek alphabet and took Greek endings. Their spellings started out as approximate transcriptions of the Latin pronunciation (not transliterations of the Latin spelling), but over time the Greek spellings could either remain fixed as the Latin pronunciation changed or be updated to reflect such changes. Most loanwords joined a Greek declensional class that closely resembled their Latin declension, but some changed declension or gender when borrowed. Some borrowings (including all verbs) acquired Greek suffixes as part of the borrowing process. Some loanwords were created by univerbating Latin phrases, making Latin-Latin compounds, or making Greek-Latin compounds with the Latin element taken directly from Latin. Derivatives could also be formed from previously-borrowed loanwords using any of the usual Greek derivation and compoundingprocesses.

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Latin Loanwords in Ancient Greek
A Lexicon and Analysis
, pp. 503 - 532
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2023

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