Scema

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Scema grece figura sed grecus schima dicit habitus forma figura.


Apparatus:

Scema AC ef | Sceina B {'m' misread as 'in'}

sed grece AC | sed (sʒ ef) grecus (-cus f) B ef

dicit om. e


Translation:

Scema is Greek for Latin figura, but Greek speakers pronounce it schima; it means in Latin habitus {"quality, nature"}, forma {"shape, appearance"}, figura {"figure; quality, kind"}.


Translation:

Greek σχῆμα /skhêma/ is glossed in LSJ "form, shape, figure; appearance (opp. the reality), show, pretence; bearing, air, mien; fashion, manner; character, role; characteristic property; geometrical figure". Simon is trying to match the semantic width of the term by offering three Latin translations.

Simon's representation scema is ambiguous since the word could be read as beginning with the sound [š] - as in English "shoe". His representation of the itacist pronunciation: /skhima/, η > ι {= /ē/ > /i/}, is more appropriate, with the 'ch' to be pronounced as in Scottish "loch", i.e. /s-khima/. In the Italian of Simon's time, as in today's, untutored speakers would tend to substitute this foreign sound with the familiar /k/.

Wilf Gunther 01/09.2013


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