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E 0439 HEDONISM

The word "hedonism" is based on a Greek root.

H 0115 ן ד ע

Concept of root : delight

Hebrew word		pronunciation				English meanings
ן ד ע		‛eden				delight

Related English words				hedonism

Comparison between European words and Hebrew
Languages	Words		Pronunciation		English meanings		Similarity in roots
Hebrew	ן ד ע		‛eden		delight		‛e d n
Greek	ήδονή; - ήδυς -		hèdonè; - hèdus -		delight, pleasure; delightful, sweet		he d n ; - hè d -
English	hedonism				hedonism		he d n

Proto-Semitic ‛EDEN --- HÈDON-È Greek

The Garden of Eden in which Adam and Eve lived for some time, was the "Garden of Delight" .

Note:

Greek and Hebrew. As can be seen in more entries, the Greek initial H often corresponds with a Hebrew Ayin, ע . Both are gutturals and the Ayin that functions as a sound-stop, can have various origins. But a widespread view is that Greek "hédus", is related to English "sweet" and Old Indian "svādú-" = sweet, lovely". Let us look into this :

The usual opinion puts together with this also "to persuade", considering that as a message "to make it sweet" on the basis of a relation with Latin "suavis = suave". And further Latin "sodalis", which is just a "companion, friend", without any sweetness or specific pleasure. Certainly meanings may shift and have shifted far in the past as well, but a clear path of development cannot be seen here.

Note:

Greek. The common hypothesis is an Indo-European root "*S W A D-", inspired especially by the mentioned Old Indian "svādúh" = "sweet, lovely". Also Latin "suavis" = "sweet, pleasing, lovely, exciting", Old Saxon "swōti and Old High German "swuosi", all saying "sweet" belong to this picture.

In Greek there are the words:
```
 
ηδυς, "hèdus (with H) = sweet, pleasant, 
ηδος, "èdos (without H) = pleasure,  
ανδανω,  "handano (with H and N) = to please,  
ηδονη, "hèdonè (with H and N) = pleasure, 
εδανος,edanos (without H, with N) = pleasant. 
```
The picture for Greek indicates that the initial " H " is frequent. It corresponds in many cases with the Hebrew guttural Ayin. The third consonant " N " is present in Hebrew, with the Garden of Eden, Delight" and is seen in several Greek words, but there it is part of a suffix, not essential to the concepts of "sweetness" and "delight".

Note:

Indo-European. There can be little doubt about the probability of an Indo-European root "*SV A D-", descendants of which are found in many languages. But their initial "SV" "SW" or "SU" is not found in Greek, that instead has an initial "H" and a third consonant " N ", both not found in the other Indo-European groups. The question mark about Greek "hèdus, hedanos" being related to English "sweet" stands out clearly. One would like to have everything clear and the problems resolved, but in this case that does not work so nicely.

Note:

Proto-Semitic. Hebrew has an obviously related verb with the same root, that carries the meaning of "to luxuriate, enjoy delights". It is considered related to an Arabic root "GH D N", as seen in the word "ghadan = luxury". Arabic "GH" indeed often corresponds with a Hebrew Ayin. There really is only limited evidence for a solid hypothesis, but one can certainly not exclude a Proto-Semitic root, similar to Hebrew: "* ע ד ן, Ayin D N " .

Created: Tuesday 6 November 2007 at 22.30.54 Updated: 22/12/2012 at 13.39.11