Sunday, 10 March 2019

Traitor

Ah I just found something really interesting. Ancient Greek word προδότης (prodótis) meaning "traitor" has perfect etymology in Serbian: prodo (prodao) (sold) + tis (masculine agent) = the one who sold us, traitor.

Macedonian coins:



The official etymology for the above word says "from προδίδωμι (prodídōmi) meaning "to betray". In Serbian "prodo dom" means "sold home" :) 

"Traitor", painting by Serbian painter Paja Jovanović painted 1885-1890.


In Serbian the expression "prodana duša" meaning "traitor" literally means "sold soul". 

"The Kiss of Judas", Scenes from the Life of Christ (mosaic) by Byzantine School, (6th century); Sant'Apollinare Nuovo, Ravenna, Italy. 


4 comments:

  1. They are both Indo-European languages. There must be many cognates between them.

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    Replies
    1. Definitely, except in this case official etymology does not list these words as cognates. So I just wanted to point them out...

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  2. In Czech "prodat(i) něco" means "to sell something". And I think in all slavic languages.

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  3. The Treitor can be said in Czech in two ways:
    1) Zradce = lets say direct paralel to tereitor (from zradit=betray)
    2) Zaprodanec = the one who sell himself. (to sell myself = (za)prodat se)

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