Greek Dictionary Babiniotis

Here is my first impression of the Babiniotis Greek dictionary.

I had a quick look through some of the entries under the letter R. 

The first thing that hit me was that it quotes the root of some words as of I.E. origin. It means Indo-European. 

I need to check if the book has a small explanation of what that I.E really is. I have a pretty good idea why some people refuse to accept the I.E theory.

I am always suspicious when it comes to terms like this, it doesn't explain anything in my head, in my untrained knowledge.

Why do I think I have the right to refuse such a term? Well... It is the sort of term that brings the whole explanation of how the languages were developed to a level that us children can understand. So in simple terms:

There's a shared or common origin for all languages, there must've been a tower of Babylon where all spoke I.E. but since then the branches made Greek German, Spanish Hebrew and Hindu... Not Chinese, tho.

For me is like having carrots potatoes and pasta and declaring that they all came from the great ancient minestrone soup. In my head it is a case of the ingredients making the soup, the soup doesn't make the ingredients!

Being in "R" i wanted to see the entry for "Radio". To my surprise it was attributed to the English language.

I knew that it comes from the Greek word Radio (ράδιο, pronounced Rathio) which means Easy and Sneaky. Radiurgos (ραδιούργος), is the actor of treason or a sneaky act, i.e. Radiourgia (ραδιουργία). I remember from Homer's Iliad, it was used to describe a sneaky attack, from the Greeks i think...

The word Rap comes from the Rapper, going further to explain that it comes from the English Rap, to Rap is to beat repeatedly, the style of singing of one rapper trying to put the other rapper down.

A few lines further down on the same page there is an entry for Rapizo (Ραπίζω) which means beating repeatedly, from ancient Greek times! 

Was this book written by contributions, possibly by students, without looking how each contribution fits together? Maybe compiled in a computer that was then submitted further to publish with things like this falling through the proof reading process... Maybe!

As you can see, I went to the page that has the R words on and stopped there.

This is a first impression, really not the best first impression, from a random parsing on only a few pages, since it is not a book to read cover to cover. It is a tool, so i gave it a quick test...

Now, here is the trick. A tool like this is never complete. It will have errors, it will have room for improvement. If one looks at the Oxford dictionary and how it evolves with the English language, see how it treats the contributions or inventions to and from the English language, one can imagine that the author of this dictionary was inspired to do the same. This is a very good thing, Greeks need this tool! 

It might not be 100% to my liking, it might not feel right, but now it exists.

I would love to see each new edition, with errata, more sources, more references. With additions, true and honest changes, enhancements. I want to see this dictionary in 10, 15, 20 years, getting better and better so that it exists in every Greek living room, Every Greek Library, University, School...

But if this doesn't happen, then this book is an one off. Like a novel, like a collection of poems or photographs.

I will keep using this book, with caution, but i haven't got a better one, in shape and size and layout it pretty good too. 

Plus, it was a present from my mum and i already told her it was good and I loved it. I didn't lie, I was excited to receive such a book. So  no matter what I think about I.E. or some of the entries, it doesn't make it any less of a reference when one needs one.

And here is the website that promote's the work. Looks like there are many, I have the green one and they are updated regularly so I am happy.

http://www.lexicon.gr/lexica/lex_etym.htm