Message: "Re: Where are you Greek-Freaks out there?"

This is a reply within a larger thread: view the whole thread

Re: Where are you Greek-Freaks out there?

by Pavlos the Greak Freak (Pavlos)

6/26/2006, 11:03 PM

in reply to a message by Andy ;—)

Indeed, "ion" is the ancient Greek word for violet, the flower :) The word is still in use in contemporary Greece.

Replies

- Andy ;—) (guest) +4

6/27/2006, 12:56 AM

ION, Athens, and the flower

Now my specific question is: Has the name of the legendary founder of Athens, ION, got anything to do with the name of the flower, or is this pure coincidence?

- Pavlos +3

6/27/2006, 1:18 AM

Ionians are not purple!

Actually Ion (the flower) is spelled with an omicron, whereas Ion (the name) with an omega.

Turks and some Arabs refer to Greeks as "Yunani", i.e., *Ionians* not*. This has no reference to "purple people" or violets, I would hope.

This message was edited 6/27/2006, 1:19 AM

- Andy ;—) (guest) +2

6/27/2006, 1:51 AM

But they do grow in flower beds!

True enough! But I just found this in my Greek dictionary:

"ionia" (with an omega) for "flower bed of violets". So I don't think the omikron/omega thing is really all that crucial. But haven't been able to find out anything about the origin of the name Ion. I thought maybe your clever books might know …

- Pavlos +1

6/29/2006, 2:12 AM

I am really pretty stumped with the origin of Ion and the Ionians (I dont care too much about those bloody Corinthians and Ionians, being Doric myself). Here is a site which presents quite a few (nonconclusive) theories:

http://www.indo-european.nl/cgi-bin/response.cgi?root=leiden&morpho=0&basename=dataiegreek&first=71

- Andy ;—) (guest)

6/30/2006, 3:52 AM

The link doesn't seem to work …

… so maybe you can give me a short survey on the information?

tia

Andy

- Anneza +1

6/26/2006, 11:28 PM

Pavlos, I know that in Latin (most) flowers are masculine in gender, and trees feminine - does the same apply to Greek? Or is the masculine name Ion a coincidence?

- Pavlos

6/27/2006, 1:09 AM

Not so!

There are flowers for all tastes and sexual preferences:
To Ion (neuter gender)
O Hyakinthos (masculine gender)
H Orchidea (feminine gender)

View Message

Replies