σφώ

Ancient Greek

second person pronoun (edit)
case singular dual plural
str. encl. str. str.
nominative σύ σφώ, σφῶϊ ῡ̔μεῖς
genitive σοῦ σου σφῷν ῡ̔μῶν
dative σοί σοι σφῷν ῡ̔μῖν
accusative σέ σε σφώ, σφῶϊ ῡ̔μᾶς
adjective σός ῡ̔μέτερος

Alternative forms

  • σφῶῐ̈ (sphôï) – Epic

Etymology

PIE word
*swé

From the zero grade of Proto-Indo-European *se, plus a dative ending *-bʰ(e)y. Compare Latin sibī, Oscan 𐌔𐌝𐌚𐌄𐌝 (sífeí), Old Church Slavonic себѣ (sebě).

Pronunciation

 

Pronoun

σφώ • (sphṓ)

  1. second person dual personal pronoun: you two, both of you, you both
    • 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Iliad 1.335–336
      ... οὔ τί μοι ὔμμες ἐπαίτιοι ἀλλ᾽ Ἀγαμέμνων,
      ὃ σφῶϊ προΐει Βρισηΐδος εἵνεκα κούρης.
      ... oú tí moi úmmes epaítioi all᾽ Agamémnōn,
      hò sphôï proḯei Brisēḯdos heíneka koúrēs.
      [Achilles speaking to Talthybius and Eurybates:]
      To me you aren't blameworthy, but Agamemnon,
      who sent you both for the girl Briseis.

Usage notes

Singular and plural are σῠ́ (sú) and ῡ̔μεῖς (hūmeîs).

Inflection

  • σφωΐτερος (sphōḯteros, “second person dual possessive adjective”)

References

  • σφώ in Liddell & Scott (1940) A Greek–English Lexicon, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  • σφώ in Bailly, Anatole (1935) Le Grand Bailly: Dictionnaire grec-français, Paris: Hachette
  • Herbert Weir Smyth & Gordon M. Messing, Greek Grammar, Cambridge, American Book Company, 1920, section 325.
  • William W. Goodwin, A Greek Grammar. Revised and enlarged, Boston, 1900, p.82f.
  • Beekes, Robert S. P. (2010) Etymological Dictionary of Greek (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 10), volume II, with the assistance of Lucien van Beek, Leiden, Boston: Brill, page 1429
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