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Re: Good choice!
Am sorry but you are the wrong one here. I am Greek, you think I don't know my language? Katherine derives from Greek AIKATHERINE which derives from the word KATHARE, 'clean', 'pure'. EUPHEMIA derives from the words EF, 'good' and FEME, 'reputation'. EULALIA is the one that means 'to speak well'. Anyway, you can always refer to the folowing:
In Greek, "Lexicon of Ancient Greek", John Stamatakos
In English, "A Greek-English Lexicon", H.G. Liddell, R.Scott
(Far the best Ancient Greek to English dictionary...)
Obviously some information on this site need extra attention.
I hope I helped.
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Replies

1. EUPHEMIA derives from the words EU (åõ), and FEME (öÞìç). Feme in modern Greek, In contemporary Greek, FEME means one thing: reputation. However, in Classical Greek it meant the following (and I quote "A Greek-English Lexicon", H.G. Liddell, R.Scott) it also means "utterance prompted by the gods, significant or prophetic saying" and "any voice or words, speech, saying". According to the same source (http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/cgi-bin/ptext?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.04.0057%3Aentry%3D%2345406) Euphemia in Classical Greek means:1. abstinence from inauspicious language, religious silence
2. in positive sense, auspiciousness, esp. a fair or honourable name for a bad thing, euphemism
3. prayer and praise, worship
4. honour, good repute enjoyed by men2. On Katherine: Here things are uncertain. Professor G. Babiniotis (Ëåîéêü ôçò ÍÝáò ÅëëçíéêÞò Ãëùóóáò, óåë. 87) suggests the the "Hekateros" derivation and considers the êáèáñüò (clean) explanation as pataetymological.CONCLUSION: Both your, and this site's meanings could be correct. PS please check the word Hubris, which is also Greek ;)
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The word FEME in ancient Greek together with "utterance prompted by the gods, significant or prophetic saying" and "any voice or words, speech, saying” also meant "reputation". (Lexicon of Ancient Greek, John Stamatakos).Indeed things are uncertain on Katherine. But since there is not evidence on use of the name AIKATHERINE on the ancient times, and because of the ‘th’ (theta), I will have to follow the folk etymology, from the word ‘kathare’, ‘pure’ for Katherine, and not
Prof. G. Babiniotis…PS: YBRIS it is... :o)
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Êáëþò Þñèåò óôï site :)
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Forgot to mention, I posted the above :)
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I'm confusedYou say you know the meanings of these words because you're Greek, then list Ancient Greek dictionaries as references.
People don't speak 'ancient' Greek in Greece any more, they speak 'modern' Greek, hence the need for the term 'ancient' to describe the way it USED to be spoken, as opposed to the way it IS spoken today.
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For your information, modern and ancient Greek are not two different languages. It's officially a fact that modern Greek stems directly from the Attic 'koine', with strong elements of words as old as Mycenaean and ancient Greek. Hence ancient Greek has survived in the modern Greek language, in fact it makes up 97% of modern Greek. That makes the Greek language the oldest indoeuropean language with a documented history of at least 3600 years.
Modern Greek, Encyclopedia of the World's Major Languages, Brian Joseph
Ancient Greek, Encyclopedia of the World's Major Languages, Brian Joseph
Greek Language, Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia.
The Perseus Project has many useful pages for the study of classical languages and literatures, including dictionaries.
The Greek Language and Linguistics GatewayI am glad I helped
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So.. may I clear this up folks?Euphemia may describe the bearer as either a good speaker or having a good rep, you'd have to be Greek to say I suppose. "Well-spoken of" seems most likely to me, and I'll trust the Greek person here.However, the site is not technically incorrect. It is ambiguous because it gives an etymological meaning, and doesn't infer the actual translation."Reputation" = how someone is spoken of. It should be the same Greek root as "speak"EF: maybe it comes out EF- if you're Greek and looking at this word, but the way we write that root in English is generically EU-. I'm sure you're both talking about the same thing: "good."Damis, you'd be more convincing in your certainty of the meaning of Katherine if you would quote the references, and perhaps indicate the references or research used therein. Or at least explain why it makes sense in Greek. The definition in the database gives other possible meanings that are just as convincing to laypeople who don't know any Greek, and for all we know, the research is better.- chazda

This message was edited 10/11/2005, 6:11 PM

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Pavlos?
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*shakes head* If you're Greek, you'll need to do more research...The site is quite correct on this one...♥ Tar ♥
Would you marry a goldfish? You know, if you were a goldfish?
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See: Re: On Euphemia and Katherine
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