σκύβαλον

Ancient Greek

Etymology

Neumann compares this word with Hittite [script needed] (išḫuwai-, “to throw, scatter, pour”), while Furnée with κύπελλον (kúpellon, “whatever dough and bread is left over on the table”). If the last theory is correct, then the word could be of Pre-Greek origin. However, while κύπελλον (kúpellon) provides only superficial similarities (note the differences in the consonants), a non-Hittite Anatolian form *šḫuwai provides a perfect match. The immediate Anatolian source cannot be identified more precisely, since neither the phonology nor the morphology is specific enough. Possible candidates are Luwian, Lydian or Palaic.^[1]

Pronunciation

(5^th BCE Attic) IPA^(key): /ský.ba.lon/
(1^st CE Egyptian) IPA^(key): /ˈsky.ba.lon/
(4^th CE Koine) IPA^(key): /ˈscy.βa.lon/
(10^th CE Byzantine) IPA^(key): /ˈscy.va.lon/
(15^th CE Constantinopolitan) IPA^(key): /ˈsci.va.lon/

Noun

σκῠ́βᾰλον • (skŭ́bălon) n (genitive σκῠβᾰ́λου); second declension

dung, excrement, manure
refuse, offal

Inflection

Second declension of τὸ σκῠ́βᾰλον; τοῦ σκῠβᾰ́λου (Attic)

Case / #	Singular	Dual	Plural
Nominative	τὸ σκῠ́βᾰλον tò skŭ́bălon	τὼ σκῠβᾰ́λω tṑ skŭbắlō	τᾰ̀ σκῠ́βᾰλᾰ tằ skŭ́bălă
Genitive	τοῦ σκῠβᾰ́λου toû skŭbắlou	τοῖν σκῠβᾰ́λοιν toîn skŭbắloin	τῶν σκῠβᾰ́λων tôn skŭbắlōn
Dative	τῷ σκῠβᾰ́λῳ tōî skŭbắlōi	τοῖν σκῠβᾰ́λοιν toîn skŭbắloin	τοῖς σκῠβᾰ́λοις toîs skŭbắlois
Accusative	τὸ σκῠ́βᾰλον tò skŭ́bălon	τὼ σκῠβᾰ́λω tṑ skŭbắlō	τᾰ̀ σκῠ́βᾰλᾰ tằ skŭ́bălă
Vocative	σκῠ́βᾰλον skŭ́bălon	σκῠβᾰ́λω skŭbắlō	σκῠ́βᾰλᾰ skŭ́bălă
Notes:	This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For declension in other dialects, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal declension.

Derived terms

σκῠβᾰλῐ́ζω (skŭbălĭ́zō)
σκῠβᾰλῐκός (skŭbălĭkós)
σκῠβᾰλῐσμός (skŭbălĭsmós)
σκῠβᾰλώδης (skŭbălṓdēs)

Descendants

→ English: scybala

References

^ Zsolt Simon, [1] (Munich: Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München), 404.