sealma

Grammatical information: f.

Meaning: `crossbeam of a building, of a ship, cross-piece, transverse wall, transverse row of benches or seats in the theatre, cross stripe or column in a papyrus-roll' (Att. inscr., hell. a. late inscr. a. pap., LXX, Plb., AP a. o.).

Other forms: often im plur. - ίδες.

Compounds: As 2. member (with transition in the ο-decl.) ἐΰ-(σ)σελμος ( εὔ-) `with beautiful σέλματα' (ep. poet. Il.).

Derivatives: Dimin. σελίδ-ιον n. `papyrus column' (Ptol., Vett. Val. a.o.); enlarged - ωμα n. `broad plank' (sch.). -- Besides σέλμα, often in plur. - ατα n. `deck-, rowing plank, rowing bench, deck, scaffolds' (h. Bacch., Archil., trag., Str.), metaph. of the seat of the gods (A. Ag. 183 [lyr.]); -- From H.: σελμίς... καὶ τὰ ἴκρια and σελμῶν σανίδων.

Origin: PG [a word of Pre-Greek origin]X [probably]

Etymology: For σελίς, formed like σανίς, δοκίς etc., both nominal and verbal basis can be considered; σέλμα belongs to the frequent primary nouns in - μα ( δέρμα, βῆμα etc.). If correctly handed down, σελμίς H. is a cross; σελμῶν as if from *σελμός. -- Without convincing etymology. Since J. Schmidt Voc. 2, 78 compared with a Germ. word for `beam', esp. `girder', a. o. OHG swelli n. (also = Schwelle), PGm.. *su̯ali̯a-, ONord. OE syll f., PGm. prob. *suli̯ō-; we find there the same phonetic problem as in σέλας (s. v.). Beside it, in suffix agreeing with σέλμα, OE selma, sealma, OS selmo m. `basis of a bed', which can phonetically be combined with ἕλματα... σανιδώματα H.. -- Farreaching, partly quite doubtful or rejectable combinations (esp. after Person Beitr. 1, 379ff.) in Bq and WP. 2, 503f., Pok. 898 f. -- In judging the etymology of σελίς it seems that the idea of transverse is essential ( σέλμα is in this respect unclear), while for the Germ. words the idea of a girder is most important. It is doubtful, then, whether for the Greek a. Germ. words a common notion `beam' may be assumed. ̊̊ Does σέλμα\/ ἕλμα point toa Pre-Greek word?

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