Klaudiusz Elian o nazwach cykad
Claudius Aelian on Words for Cicadas

Summary/Abstract: In his work Περὶ ζῴων ἰδιότητος (De natura animalium X 44) Claudius Aelian describes cicadas’ names in thefollowing way: „There are, it seems, many species of cicada (τέττιξ), and those who are skilled in these mattersenumerate them and report their names. Thus, the Ashen one (τεφράς) is so called from its colour; whence theMembrax (μέμβραξ) got its name I do not know; and Chirper (λακέτας), it appears, is the name for a cicada;and I have heard tell of the Long-tail (κερκώπη) and the Shriller (ἀχέτας) and the Prickly one (ἀκάνθιος).Well, these are all the kinds of Cicada of which I remember having heard the names, but if anyone has got toknow more than those that I have mentioned, he must tell them” (translated by Scholfield 1959: 339–341). Itis necessary to follow Aelian’s suggestion and explain all the mentioned cicadas’ names from the point of viewof the Greek etymology and word-formation.

• Details
• Contents