ἑρμηνεύς

An Anatolian origin has frequently been attributed to Greek ἑρμηνεύς (Dorian ἑρμᾱνεύς) ‘interpreter, translator’ since Boßhardt 1942a:37, but either without any details and etymon (GEW I/563; Beekes 2010a:462) or with formally impossible derivation (see the discussion in Simon 2018a:390 with ref.), although DELG:373 did not provide any etymology. However, three scholars (Adiego 2010b:153; Yakubovich 2012b:133, Yakubovich 2013a:119; Herda apud Yakubovich 2012b:133 n. 4 [cf. Herda 2013a:469–471]) independently called attention to the formally very similar Carian word armon ‘dragoman, interpreter’, which may represent the source of the Greek word as it continues *armān (in this case Yakubovich suggests explaining the different Anlaut with folk etymology via Hermes, while Herda 2013a:470f. and Simon 2019a:295 n. 2 [both with refs.] entertain the possibility of a sound substitution of Carian /a/ with Greek /e/, which seems to be attested in Greek adaptations of Western Anatolian toponyms, although this requires further investigations) or, alternatively, they both go back to a third, common source. This view is accepted by other scholars, too (Simon 2018a:390, Simon 2019a:295; Schürr 2019d:7); although most of the recent overviews of Anatolian – Greek borrowings (Gasbarra & Pozza 2012a:189–196, Gasbarra & Pozza 2019a:57–70; Hajnal 2014a:110f., Hajnal 2018a:2041f.; Oreshko 2018a), including one on Greek – Carian contacts (van den Hout 2014a), ignore this case.

[Zs.S.]