Bible Question: Does anyone know how I can find a dictionary but of the origen of words? Like this word came from the greek, etc. Or, this words comes from two words, etc. |
Bible Answer: Brethren, someone has recommended the OED to you; that's fine; it's the definitive British masterwork of English dictionaries. But you may not wish or need to go as deeply into etymology as the OED will take you. In which case you may find a satisfactory and far less expensive alternative in the Webster's Collegiate. I believe the 10th Edition is the latest one out -- mine's the 9th. It provides much useful information on word origins (etymology). Additionally, you can learn about archaic words, a handy thing to know if you are a reader of the King James Bible. There's some interesting information about the word 'charity' as it is used in 1 Cor. 13 in the KJV; and 'suffer' and 'prevent' as they are used in the KJV meant something quite different in 1611 Jacobean English than what they mean today. Specialty dictionaries that deal with biblical words in their original tongues may have been the object of your question, and good suggesions have been offered you. Still and all, there is no substitute for learning the exact meanings of ENGLISH words first, if that is one's native tongue, because we won't understand any translation or explanation of what the root word means unless we have a clear and firm grasp of our own language. If I sound like a stickler for learning and using words and grammar properly, perhaps I am, but I do not mean it as a parade of pedantry. --Hank |